Past and Future
by YB Fan
Summary: At nineteen years old, Lavi's childhood friend Kanda is tall, pretty and perfect, but cold as ever- and his supposed girlfriend. Careless, clumsy and awkward, Lavi is determined to maintain their relationship. But things change when Kanda reveals the secret that's been keeping them apart. Genderbend modern AU. LaviYuu. Side Allena.
1. Prologue

_I can't help  
Falling in love with you-_

"WAH!"

People turned to look at the redhead who had tripped. Lavi gave a groan, "I can't do this! This is impossible!" He shouted.

Meanwhile, the screen had flashed the losing sign. There was a growl and Lavi felt himself pulled to his feet. "Stupid rabbit, what the hell are you doing?! You ruined my perfect score! Again!"

Lavi sighed and spread his hands, "Really Yuu-chan, I'm no good at this game!" He protested. "Let's go play some other game, okay?"

"No. And it's Kanda." Kanda said coldly. "I'm playing this game. If you can't do it, shut up and watch. You only make me lose anyway."

With those words, Lavi was tossed unceremoniously to the side. He yelped and picked himself up off the floor, "Yuu!"

Kanda ignored him. Lavi tried again, "Alright, alright! I'll try harder! Let me play with you!"

"That was the third time you fell."

Lavi winced. "But, I want to play with you! You're my girlfriend-"

"What did you say?"

"N-Nothing." Lavi stuttered at the ferocity of Kanda's glare. He sighed and moved himself off to the side. "Fine, I'll watch…"

It wasn't as if it wasn't true, Yuu was his girlfriend and he was her boyfriend. Well he hadn't exactly said anything about it. But she'd accepted that they were in a relationship, so what was wrong with it? He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? Besides screw up and make a fool out of himself in that stupid dancing game. Stupid arrows. Stupid game.

Or maybe he just sucked at relationships. He certainly hadn't been in one before Yuu.

Lavi pouted. Seeing Kanda was ignoring him, he decided to go and find his other two friends. They were probably still at that shooting game…

"Bang!"

A white haired boy jolted in surprise. He glanced at Lavi, then sighed. "Lavi, you scared me!" He said to the grinning red head, "Weren't you playing that dancing game with Kanda?"

"Yuu-chan threw me away. Literally." Lavi grumbled as he slung his arms around Allen's shoulder, "Alleeeeen…" he whined, hanging off Allen's shoulders like a dejected monkey. "Why does she hate me so?"

Allen shrugged, never taking his eyes off the screen. "It's Kanda." He said, as if that explained everything. "Look at the bright side, you're not dead yet."

"Still haven't gotten over that grudge?" A feminine voice said in bemusement. "Allen-kun, to your right."

"Right." Allen said as he shifted the screen and fired at the oncoming demon, hitting it right in the centre of its forehead.

"Woah, bullseye." Lavi said, slightly impressed.

"I'm out of bullets." Allen grumbled. Lavi's arms over his shoulders didn't seem to affect his firing ability at all. "Lenalee, cover for me, will you?"

"Sure, Allen-kun!"

Lavi looked at the black haired girl and the white haired boy, and sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. "Ah, you two work so well together…" he said as he looked at Lenalee fire the gun at the demons at point blank range as Allen reloaded his gun. He sighed and rested his chin on Allen's shoulder. "Why can't Yuu and I be like you two?"

"Don't blame yourself, Lavi." Allen said, his eyes narrowing as he fired at more demons. "It's Kanda after all. That guy doesn't work with anybody."

"Allen…you know Yuu is a girl, right?"

"She's more of a guy than a girl." Allen frowned. "In fact, you're like the only one who thinks of her as a girl, Lavi."

"That's not nice, Allen-kun," Lenalee reprimanded lightly, "Kanda may be strong, but she's still a girl. And our friend. Also, she's Lavi's girlfriend."

"Yeah, I wonder if Yuu even remembers that." Lavi muttered into Allen's shoulder.

"S-Sorry, Lenalee." Allen conceded at Lenalee's glower. He grumbled as he fired at the demons, "But yeah, it's only because of that that I'm tolerating that Bakanda's presence."

"Allen-kun...ahhh!"

"Lenalee!" Allen whirled as if his girlfriend really had been attacked. He held the gun in his hand like a real weapon, "Are you alright?!"

Lenalee blinked at him, then smiled. "I'm fine, Allen-kun," her pigtails bounced as she turned her head. "I just lost a life, that's all."

Allen blinked back. "Oh." Then his eyes narrowed and he grinned slowly. "Don't worry…I'll get revenge for you."

"Uh…" Lavi said warily as a dark aura seemed to surround Allen suddenly. He removed his arms from Allen's shoulders, backing away, "A…llen?"

"You…Akuma…how dare you hurt Lenalee!"

"Lenalee!" Lavi cried out, pointing frantically at the fuming white haired boy, "Allen's snapped!"

"Don't worry, that's just his dark side." Lenalee said cheerfully. "You know, like when he gambles in poker?"

"It comes out in the arcade too?!"

"Ahahaha…HAHAHAHA!"

"Yeah. When my character gets hurt." Lenalee said with a sheepish smile. She pointed to the screen with her gun. Her lifepoints were signified with a picture of her and a bar of (halved) life, and Lavi supposed this was one of the games which had a visual scanner to attempt to make things more realistic. "Allen-kun doesn't seem to understand it's just a game."

"He's taking this way too seriously." Lavi deadpanned as the white haired boy laughed evilly and the version of him in the screen seemed to mimic his evil laughter in his expression. He grimaced. "Hey, hey. Is this _really_ alright?!"

"Oh it's alright!" Lenalee giggled as if her loving, sweet boyfriend hadn't turned into a white haired demon. "Even though I don't need to be protected, it's so sweet of him!"

"Uh…" Lavi said as he stared at the beaming girl. A crowd had gathered, muttering and murmuring at the loud bangs and shrieks of the demons and Allen's maniac like laughter. _"Which_ part of that is sweet?"

"Pitiful Akuma, let your soul be saved!"

"Everything!" Lenalee smiled widely at Lavi, somehow managing to fire at the demons with the gun at the same time. The girl really had skill, Lavi thought. It was scary. She was smiling at him as she killed the demons which released shrieks of pain. No wonder she was Allen's girlfriend.

"O-kay." Lavi said, smiling shakily. "Ah, Lenalee…your smile's really bright. It's dazzling." His shoulders slumped, and his expression fell. "I haven't seen such a bright smile from Yuu-chan…in fact Yuu-chan hardly smiles!"

"La-vi…"

"Yeah-wah!" Lavi backtracked, his green eye wide at the white haired demon before him. Almost literally, for there were horns on his head of spiky white hair. "W-What is it, Allen?!"

Allen grinned demonically, the demon horns in the screen seeming to reflect his demonic nature, "Just now, what did you just say?"

"Uh, what?"

"You were looking at Lenalee's smile with those-I mean, that eye!" Allen pointed an accusing finger at Lavi as Lenalee blinked, his other hand firing at the demons. Was it just his imagination or did the demon (devil) horns on his head just grow? "Don't tell me, you're interested in her?!"

"What-" Lavi spluttered. He held up his hands quickly, "Of course not! No offence Lenalee, but Yuu is the only one for me!"

"None taken." Lenalee said with an understanding smile. "Allen-kun, Lavi was just wishing Kanda would smile at him. When I smiled at him, it reminded him of how Kanda would never smile at him." She explained.

"Yes…" Lavi said, downcast. "That's absolutely right…"

Allen raised an eyebrow. "What's up with you? You're unusually depressed."

"That's because Yuu won't smile at me…" Lavi said depressingly. "It's just like Lenalee said…"

"That shouldn't bother you." Allen said bluntly. "I don't think Kanda even knows how to smile."

Lavi's shoulders drooped even further, and Lenalee frowned, "Allen-kun!"

"What? It's the truth."

"Really!" Allen blinked as Lenalee bumped a fist lightly on his head. "You're making Lavi even more depressed!"

Allen blinked, and looked at Lavi. He felt guilty, and shot a demon, and Lavi didn't even notice that the horns which seemed to be on Allen's head had disappeared. "Sorry Lavi." He apologized. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad, it's just, it's Kanda!"

"You're not helping." Lenalee sighed. She shot the last demon so they would advance to the next stage. She turned to Lavi, and put on a comforting smile. "Cheer up, Lavi! Kanda's just shy." She ignored Allen choking on his own breath, "I'm sure she'll smile at you someday! Or maybe, she smiles at you when you're not looking!"

"I'm always looking at Yuu!" Lavi exclaimed as if incredulous as to the mere idea of it being otherwise. "Always!"

"You sound like a stalker…" Allen muttered. Lenalee glared at him and he amended, "Just kidding. Ahahaha…"

"But seriously," Lavi looked at Allen at the change of tone in his voice. Allen smiled at him. "Kanda's a bastard and all, but she's your girlfriend so that must mean something, right?"

Lavi was touched. "Allen…"

"That's right!" Lenalee said encouragingly. "Kanda's never dated before you! You're definitely special!"

"Lenalee…" Lavi said. He blinked, then smiled, his expression beginning to brighten. "Well, that's a good point!" He said. "Maybe Yuu does care for me deep inside!"

"Of course she does." Lenalee said with a smile as Allen nodded. She turned, "Sorry Lavi, this next stage is gonna be hard, so we'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah." Allen said, turning back to the screen as well. He narrowed his eyes. "So far there's only been Level One to Level Threes. The next stage, there's gonna be a Level Four, and it's one tough bitch. Or bastard. Whatever."

"We have to save its poor, tortured soul."

_"He's taking this way too seriously…"_ Lavi thought but didn't have the heart to say at Allen's serious expression. He scratched his head. _"Maybe he was a demon exterminator in his past life or something."_

"I see…what's this game called anyway?"

"Exorcists: The Dark Order." Allen said.

_"Correction; Exorcist. Maybe Allen was an Exorcist in his past life."_ Lavi wondered. He shrugged with a smile. "Sounds cool. Maybe I'll try it sometime." He waved. "Well, have fun defeating the demons!"

"They're not demons, they're Akuma." Allen said.

"…Isn't that demon in Japanese?"

Allen blinked. "Really?" He said. "Well, they're Akuma anyway."

"Okay." Lavi said slowly as Lenalee looked on in amusement. "Well, enjoy exorcising the Akuma then."

"Yeah." Allen smiled. Lavi walked away, and he could hear him say to Lenalee. "Come on, Lenalee. The Level Four's not gonna beat us this time. If that Bakanda can do it, so can we!"

Lavi frowned slightly. "So Yuu plays that game too, huh?" He muttered. "And looks like she's pretty good at it, to beat a Level Four solo…that must be a pretty tough demon, right? Ah, I mean, Akuma."

Lavi blinked. He sighed and pushed his hair back from his eye, then brought his hand to the back of his neck as he moved forward.

"Well, guess I'll go see how Yuu's doing…"

* * *

When Lavi returned, he found a crowd around the dancing game. He frowned slightly and pushed his way through the crowd with effort, "Excuse me…coming through…"

He didn't manage to make it to the front, but he made it to a point where he could see what the commotion was. Lavi gasped, the sound swept away by the murmurs and whispers around him and the loud music.

"Hey, hey! Look at him!"

"It's a her! That's a girl!"

"W-What?! A girl?! And here I thought I'd found my new boyfriend! He's so handsome! And tall! He'd make a perfect guy!"

"Yeah. I think she's taller than my boyfriend!"

"That's a girl, isn't it?"

"Yeah, no guy would have such long hair! Oh man, look at how she dances! Like she's walking on air or something!"

"She's moving so fast I'm getting dizzy…"

"That's a really hard song, isn't it?"

"She's so pretty…"

"What, you fallen for her?"

"N-No! I was just- admiring-"

"Man, I don't blame you. Once you get over how she dresses like a guy, she's hot. Like, really hot. I'd fuck her."

"And her lack of breasts."

"Well, a girl can't have everything, can she?"

"She's perfect as she is…"

"Oh man, you're really smitten, aren't you?"

"I bet she already has a boyfriend."

"Are you kidding me? A girl like that? Look at her eyes. So damn cold. Which sane guy would want her as a girlfriend?"

"Or rather- what kind of guy would she allow as her boyfriend?"

"But a cold and independent girl like that- well, she's just _my_ type."

"Don't let her boyfriend hear you say that."

"_If_ she has one."

_"She does have one."_ Lavi thought indignantly, feeling irritation build up in him. He inhaled to calm himself down. They didn't know Yuu. They only saw her aesthetically appealing appearance, and not her. He was the one who knew Kanda Yuu. No use arguing with idiots.

Lavi raised his gaze. Kanda was dancing – dancing without him. He had expected that, but it still hurt a little. Kanda's movements were fluid and graceful, and the perfection of them was illustrated in the screen which belted out 'Perfect' consecutively, to the awe of the audience. Long black hair flowed gracefully around the beauty who spun and whirled in a flurry of grace that took his breath away.

Lavi smiled wryly. It was pathetic. He was pathetic. He couldn't even last with a much slower song and here Kanda was, dancing to a much faster song. It was a Japanese song. Of course. Kanda had taken pity on him earlier, picking an English song for them. For him. And he'd still failed. No wonder he'd been thrown away.

He figured the problem was his movements. He had no problem taking in the arrows on the screen with his memory, no matter how fast they went. What he had problem with was coordinating his movements to the arrows. Or maybe he just hadn't tried hard enough. He hadn't been entirely serious, he'd just wanted to have fun. Who knew Kanda Yuu would be so good at dancing? As if his childhood friend wasn't perfect enough already.

Lavi stood and watched as Kanda danced. Soon, the screen was showing a perfect rank, inciting cheers and shouts and wolf whistles from the crowd. Lavi heard Kanda turn and scoff as the game progressed to the next song. His best friend's hair was loose from the customary ponytail, and flowed down her broad back like a waterfall made of silk as the rock music came on. Lavi wished he could run his fingers through the beautiful black locks. He wondered if he even had the right.

_Owari mo miezu hashirinukeru_

**_Without even being able to see the end, I run through_**

_Yasuragi wa tooku sugata mo naku_

**_Peace is distant, shapeless_**

_Kodoku o fuujikomete tozashikakeru manazashi_

**_A glance confines and begins to close loneliness_**

The next song was playing, and it was even faster, a song so fast the beats didn't even have time to resound in his head before he was caught up in the rest of the music. He knew it. _Doubt and Trust. _He remembered the lyrics and he could translate them into English. Kanda had let him listen to it if he promised not to make himself a nuisance.

_Habataku mono o mukaeru sora_

**_The sky greets those who fly_**

_Shihaisareru no o osore yashinai_

**_I don't fear being controlled_**

And he hadn't, just so he could listen to music with Yuu.

_Akogareru mabayusa wa_

_Subete o kaeru tame ni_

**_The dazzling brightness that I aspire for is to change everything_**

But Kanda didn't seem affected, and Lavi found himself further entranced by the Japanese's graceful movements. Kanda looked like she was dancing with her sword, Mugen. Deadly, sharp and precise.

_Dare mo yurusezu ni doko e yukeru darou_

**_Without forgiving anyone, where can I go?_**

Lavi wondered if they had sword dancing back in Japan even in the modern era they lived in. He slid his hands into his pockets as he heard the idle chatter of the guys around him and listened to the music, mouthing the lyrics and wiping the sweat off his neck with the back of his hand. The crowd was stifling.

_Hikari no moto yami wa umare_

**_Under the light, darkness is born_**

"You know what? I really hope she doesn't have a boyfriend."

"She's perfect, I don't think any guy would satisfy her."

_Shinjitsu wa itsuwari ni yureru _

**_Truth wavers in falsehoods_**

"If she had a boyfriend he would probably be perfect too. Not normal guys like us."

_Kokoro o tsukisasu_

**_Piercing through my heart_**

_Fureta yoru o kourasete mo_

**_Even if I let the night that I touched to be frozen_**

"Yeah, the type that's intelligent and athletic and has his own fangirls. A girl like that has got to be with a guy as good as her. Or better."

"Like in manga."

_Yume to iu yokubou no kage o yobitsuzukeru_

**_I'll keep on calling for the shadow of desire known as 'dreams'_**

_Kimi no tsumi to itami o shinjiteiku_

**_I trust your sins and pains_**

"She's really pretty, isn't she? Look at how the guys are looking at her."

"I'm glad my boyfriend isn't here. He'd be making eyes at her."

"Who wouldn't? I wish I was as pretty and perfect as her."

_Zenbu hoshii to sasayaku koe_

**_A voice whispers, "I want everything"_**

_Nakushiteku koto ni oitsukezu ni_

**_Without catching up to the things that I'm losing_**

"She's really beautiful, isn't she? She looks Asian."

_Saki made motomeru yubi tsumetasa ni kizukanai_

**_My fingers that yearn for the rest don't notice the coldness_**

"An exotic beauty then. Why is God so unfair?!"

_Ai wo nokosu nara tometa kuchibiru ni_

**_If you left behind love, then it stayed on my lips_**

Even the girls were talking now. Lavi looked up at said exotic beauty and wondered who could be perfect enough to be her boyfriend. Then he blinked and realized that boyfriend was him. Supposedly. It had just slipped his mind for he was far from perfect. He didn't have girls staring at him like how both guys and girls stared at Kanda.

_Hikari dake ga yami o unde_

**_Only light gives birth to darkness_**

_Nukumori wa utagai kasanete tadoritsuku omoi_

**_Warmth accumulates doubt and make its way to my thoughts_**

His phone vibrated in his pocket at that moment, and his fingers closed around it and pulled it out. Lavi pressed a button and touched the screen to view the message.

_Where are you?_

It was from Allen. Lavi typed a quick message back with one hand.

_Kawasu mune ni chikau mono ga_

**_That which I vowed in my chest that crossed with yours_**

_Eien no kizu de kamawanai kizami tsukete_

**_Doesn't mind the eternal scar and carves into me_**

_Dancing game. In the crowd watching Kanda._

He clicked send, then slipped his phone back into his pocket, his eye never leaving Kanda.

_Toki ni kizuku hazama ni kieru mae ni_

**_Before it disappears in the crevice constructed by time_**


	2. Chapter 1

_Thanks for the reviews. :) This is my first D. Gray Man fic and I was really nervous in posting it, especially since my last genderbent fic in another fandom wasn't well received. I forgot to mention, the song Kanda was dancing to was the 3rd opening song for the anime, Doubt and Trust. It's by ACCESS and not me so I don't own it. Anyway I wrote this fic primarily 'cause I wanted to see awkward Lavi, since Lavi is always so comfortable around Kanda and while that's nice, it's funny when Lavi freaks out or gets nervous since it's such a contrast to his usual laidback nature. Haha. And 'cause I wanted to see a modern AU. Hm, Kanda still looks like Kanda (though maybe more feminine) and sounds like Kanda does in the anime 'cause guy or girl, I can't imagine Kanda any other way. Also, I don't own D. Gray Man. Now on with the story ;).  
_

* * *

Allen and Lenalee arrived in a few minutes. The previous song, _Doubt and Trust,_ was over and Kanda was in the middle of a new Japanese song. Lavi caught them out of the corner of his eye and took his gaze away from Kanda to greet them with a smile. "Hey."

"Yo." Allen said, panting slightly. He exhaled and brushed his hair to the side. "It sure is crowded here."

"Yeah. Look who's on stage."

Allen looked. "Bakanda." He said after a while. "Should have known bastard could dance as well."

"You can dance too, Allen-kun." Lenalee said.

"Probably not as well as Kanda." Allen admitted. "But don't tell her I said that." He said quickly.

Lenalee just smiled. "I can dance too, but I'm not sure I could keep up with Kanda either," she said with a sheepish smile. "She's dancing really fast. That's a really hard song."

"You two can dance, Allen, Lenalee?" Lavi asked.

"Kind of. It takes practice." Allen said. He smiled. "Lenalee's really good at dancing."

"I'm in track, so I'm used to moving fast." Lenalee said with a modest smile. "You can dance quite well as well."

"Well, we made it quite far together, didn't we?" Allen smiled at his girlfriend.

"That we did." Lenalee smiled sweetly back.

"You two are really made for each other." Lavi smiled fondly at his two friends. They turned to look at him and he sighed, raising his gaze. "Why is my girlfriend so perfect?" He said.

"Do I really deserve her?"

"Lavi!" Lenalee gasped, and Allen scoffed.

"Kanda's the one who doesn't deserve you, Lavi."

"Allen-"

"Wait. Let me speak my thoughts." Allen held out a hand, and Lavi fell silent. The look in Allen's eyes was serious. "Kanda is gorgeous." Lavi stared. "No, seriously. I hate her, but I can't deny it. Lenalee, I like you. You know you're the only girl for me." Allen's expression softened as he turned to Lenalee. He smiled at her, then turned back to Lavi. "But as a guy, who's not Kanda's boyfriend," Allen gave Lavi a pointed look. "And _doesn't_ want Kanda as his girlfriend," he grimaced at the thought, "If I were to be honest, then yes, I do find Kanda attractive. She's tall, she has long hair, she can dance, she can fight and handle a sword. On top of being pretty. She can be a model with that body. She carries herself like she owns the world. It's inevitable for her to be admired and wanted by guys. To put it simply, Kanda is as badass as a girl can get, and that makes her appealing in the eyes of guys."

"…And?" Lavi said slowly. "Why are you telling me this? I know this already, Allen. I know Yuu's perfect, and I'm-"

"Because you're Kanda's boyfriend." Lenalee smiled at Lavi, who looked surprised, as if he had just forgotten that. Again. "Allen's providing an outside view on Kanda, a view you cannot see."

Allen smiled at Lenalee, who smiled back. "But Lavi, Kanda's a bastard to treat you that way." He said. "No, I'm not saying this just because I hate her. You told her she accepted your confession. So she must have been aware you're going out." He said. "Even if you two weren't going out, you're her best friend. You've stuck with her for years. I don't care how much you love her-" Allen held out his hand as Lavi opened his mouth to protest. He closed it reluctantly. "The fact is, she isn't giving you the respect you deserve. You deserve more than her, Lavi. She's too good for you?" Allen snorted. "Lavi, as a guy to another guy, _you're_ too good for her. Why stick with such a cold girl- such a cold _person_? Kanda's the one who doesn't deserve you."

"While I wouldn't agree entirely with Allen-kun," Lenalee said with a wry smile. The crowd was getting noisier and the music blasting louder and she moved closer, raising her voice to be heard, "Lavi, you think too little of yourself. Why would you not deserve Kanda? You're the one who's stayed with her, who knows her best." She inhaled. "You're the one who loves her. And what could be more important than that?"

"Lenalee…"

"But, maybe you're right, Allen. I mean, Kanda seems to be treating Lavi really coldly, even for her," Lenalee murmured, her eyes bright in worry. "Maybe I should talk to her?"

"No, it's okay." Lavi said with a smile. He looked at his two friends. "I- thanks for the encouragement, guys. I really appreciate it. But I think I'll talk to Yuu myself."

"Kanda can talk?" Allen said loudly in disbelief. Really loudly. It seemed the extent of disbelief he was feeling at the notion of Kanda being involved in a conversation was heightening the volume of his words. "The only words she knows are Che and moyashi!"

"I heard that, moyashi!" A familiar voice growled. "I don't talk to moyashi. I talk to _people_. Like Lenalee."

"How many times do I have to tell you?! It's ALLEN, BAKANDA!" Allen shouted angrily as the crowd looked at them in surprise. "I am not a damn beansprout!"

Kanda turned and smirked. It seemed she had finished the song and was waiting for the next stage. "Once a moyashi, always a moyashi."

"You bastard-!"

"Hey!" One of the guys in the crowd yelled, "That's no way to talk to a lady!"

"While I would agree with you otherwise, _that_ is _not _a lady." Allen said viciously, pointing at the smirking Kanda. "That's Bakanda. Who is always a bastard. And who doesn't even _look _or _sound_ like a lady."

"Speak for yourself, moyashi." Kanda retorted. "You weren't much of a man either. And you're _still _not much of a man now." The Japanese raised a mocking eyebrow. "Lenalee, why did you have to choose _him_? Of all people?"

"You-"

"Allen-kun!" Lenalee sighed. "Kanda! Don't say such mean things! Apologize to Allen! And Allen, you too!"

Kanda scoffed and turned away. "I will _never _apologize to a moyashi."

_"Kanda!"_

"It's fine, Lenalee. I won't apologize to BAKANDA either," Allen glared. "Bakanda! Listen up! I'm only tolerating you for Lavi's sake! I have no idea why he's dati-mph!"

"That's enough, Allen," Lavi said, his hand over Allen's mouth, "Don't make things worse. It's fine."

"But stupid Bakanda-mphf-!"

"Allen. It's fine." Lavi said. "Really."

Allen frowned, but nodded and Lavi released him. He felt a gaze on him, and looked up. The red head gave an awkward smile as he stared at narrowed eyes. "Hey, Yuu." He said. "Nice dancing."

"Of course." Kanda said as if it couldn't be otherwise. "I'm not like you, stupid rabbit. I don't fall easily."

Lavi winced. "That's mean…" he said. "At least I tried, right?"

"You didn't try hard enough." Kanda said simply, and turned away from him.

"Well, I guess that's true…" Lavi sighed, feeling as if he had been rejected. "Honestly. Is Yuu really my girlfriend?" He wondered aloud.

"Seriously? She's _your_ girlfriend?" A male voice said. "You don't look like her boyfriend. At all."

"And you don't act like it either." Another male voice said. "Neither does she."

"Hey. Is she really your girlfriend?"

_"That's what I'm wondering too."_ Lavi thought sarcastically to himself. But he turned to face the other guys, "Yeah well, I confessed and all, so we are dating." He said with a smile. "We're actually on a date. Well, a double date." He gestured to Allen and Lenalee.

"Dude, you really don't look it." The first guy said, staring. "You didn't _force _her, did you?"

"I didn't-"

"No, Lavi didn't force Kanda. Kanda agreed." Allen interrupted, narrowing his eyes. "Forgive me for being rude, but I don't think you guys have the right to judge whether Lavi is suitable for Kanda. So please don't make such lewd assumptions about my friend."

"Woah. Chill man," the second guy said, blinking. "We were just asking. No big deal."

"Yeah. We thought _you_ were her boyfriend." His companion said. "You know, like those couples who always argue? You were so familiar with her."

"I am not, and will _never_ be, Kanda's boyfriend." Allen gritted his teeth, looking as if he didn't even want to entertain the thought. "I already have a girlfriend I care about deeply. And as my girlfriend Lenalee reminded me when I was badmouthing Kanda, she is Lavi's girlfriend."

"That's right," Lenalee said firmly. "Kanda is already with Lavi. You should know that before you even attempt to make any moves on her."

"Whatever." The guy said. He smirked. "I already have a girlfriend anyway. I just thought she was hot."

"If you have a girlfriend, you shouldn't even be thinking about Kanda." Lenalee frowned, feeling offended for the sake of the unknown girl.

"Yeah. Give your girlfriend the respect she deserves." Allen resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "And maybe she'll actually pay attention to you so you don't have to go out and hit on other girls."

"You little punk! What did you say?!"

The guy threw a fist at Allen, but before Allen could catch it, Lenalee stepped in front of him protectively and the guy barely stopped in time. "Don't." She hissed. "If you want to hurt Allen, you'll have to get through _me_." She said, eyes flashing. "And I can kick. _Hard_."

The guy grimaced and stepped back. He looked at Allen. "I won't hit a woman." He said tersely. "You little coward, hiding behind your girlfriend!"

"Don't you dare speak to Allen that way!" Lenalee shouted at him angrily, and people turned to look at the scene. "He was polite and trying to explain the situation to you. He deserves your respect!"

Allen smiled and shrugged his shoulders, but his eyes glinted. "Hiding?" He said. "You're the one hiding _from_ your girlfriend. Since you were so rude when I tried to be polite, don't blame me for being rude."

"Oh by the way, Lenalee can kick your ass anytime. And if you want _me_ to kick your ass, well, then you'll have two people kicking your sorry ass." Allen said casually. "We work together, you know? And let me tell you, we make a good team."

The guy glared. "You-"

_"You."_ An icy cold voice said, and everyone turned to look at Kanda, who was still dancing, eyes on the screen. "I don't see you, but I can fucking _hear_ you." Kanda said loud enough for them to hear. Cold eyes narrowed. "I don't give a fuck about the moyashi, but if you lay one finger on Lenalee, I'll make sure you _regret_ it." The dark haired Japanese said, executing graceful and breathtaking movements so ironically different from the bone-chilling words. "Forget about your _girlfriend_, when I'm done with you, your own mother might not even recognize you."

"And there you have it. Bakanda said something useful for once." Allen smirked at the surprised guy. "Oh, did I forget to mention that Lenalee and Kanda who you wanted are close friends? Oh and Lavi and Lenalee too." Allen said, looking at the red head who had his fist clenched, scowling at his friends being threatened. "We're close, you know. Closer than you and your gang."

"Allow me to explain. It's like a military alliance," Lavi smiled, a look in his eye people didn't see often. "You know, like NATO? If you know history, that is. Ah, looking at you, you probably don't." he shrugged, "Anyway, it's like a collective security pact." His smile widened. "You threaten one of us, you make an enemy out of the rest."

"And if you think you can hurt us then get away- I already have your face memorized, though it's not like I wanted to. We can track you down anytime. You're probably from around here, aren't you?"

"R-Rick, it's not worth it." The guy's companion said. He actually looked scared. "That girl is hot and really pretty, but she's scary. I have goosebumps from her words." He said. "You don't want to hurt her friends."

"I-I'm not scared of you!" The guy called Rick glared at Lavi, who had already noted he had wild yellow hair sticking up from his head, most likely dyed, green contacts and a mole on his upper cheekbone, hidden mostly by his hairline. He would have looked further but he didn't want to remember the face of such a bastard unless necessary. Previously, Lavi had been feeling insecure over his relationship with Kanda but now he was just bored, seeing that the guy was just a stereotypical gangster. But he managed to keep his smile.

"I never said you were."

"And I ain't scared of your girlfriend either!" Rick sneered, then turned to Lenalee.

"Actually," Lavi said, "My girlfriend is Kanda Yuu, not Lenalee." He smiled. "For the benefit of your short term memory."

"Shut up! And what's with this Kanda You? I'm Rick! My name ain't Kanda or whatever and how dare you call me a girl?!"

"Kanda _Yuu_." Lavi pronounced succinctly with a Japanese accent. "Y-U-U. She's Japanese." He said. "And what are you talking about? I wasn't talking about you." He made a disgusted expression. "Ugh. No thanks. Not even if you were a girl." Lavi shuddered.

"You're disgusting! I'm not gay!" Rick's face was red with fury, "Whatever! Kanda or whatever, she's just a girl!"

"That's Lenalee." Lavi deadpanned as Rick glared at Lenalee. "Dude. Can't you even remember people's names? That's basic respect."

"Rick, is it?" Lenalee said, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "I pity your girlfriend." She said. "I'm sure she deserves someone more faithful to her than you."

"Ah," Allen said, "You got Lenalee mad." He blinked. "You're in trouble, Rick."

"THAT'S IT!" Rick bellowed. "Girl or not, you're going to meet my fist! Looking down on me like that!"

"Rick!" His friend cried out, "Don't! You can't hit a girl!"

Before Lavi could even move as Rick actually dared to throw a punch towards Lenalee, Lenalee had moved first and blocked his fist with her leg, a fierce look in her eyes. Lavi blinked, waiting for Lenalee to kick the guy so hard he would crash through the crowd.

But she didn't have the opportunity to, as she was blocked by a tall, imposing figure that brought a strangled gasp with them. The gasp came from the now captive Rick, who was clawing at the hand on his throat. "Can't…breathe…"

"Didn't I tell you?" The low voice was cold, even colder than before. Lavi could see Rick's friends actually shivering. "And you still _dared_ to lay your dirty hands on her."

It wasn't even a question. Kanda was too furious to even add a question mark at the end of the sentence. If Lavi hadn't known Kanda, he would have been terrified. Like everyone else around them. Except Lenalee and Allen of course. Allen looked bored, and Lenalee looked surprised.

"You," Rick choked as the deathly grip on his throat tightened even further. Kanda held him up with a single hand, and his legs were dangling, struggling to reach the floor. "Count yourself lucky I don't have Mugen with me. If I had my sword, you would be in fucking _pieces_." Those eyes seemed to get even colder, and a dangerous growl escaped Kanda's throat. "You _pathetic_ excuse of a man."

"I-I'm sorry," Rick gasped out, fear having entered the colored contacts which were his eyes. His face was red- and it was clear the breath was leaving him and it would soon turn another color. The eyes staring into his were so cold and a sense of dread crept over him at the murderous aura emerging from the dancer. "I-I won't touch your girl-I mean, your friend ever again! P-Please! Let me go!"

Kanda looked at him coldly, and let him go- only to swing a hard fist into the man's face. The man's nose got the brunt of the impact, and Lavi averted his gaze, not wanting to imprint such a disgusting and bloody scene into his mind.

He heard Rick howl in pain, and a sound which indicated he had collapsed onto the floor. "MY NOSE!" He screamed. "My-UGH!"

_"Yuu's merciless as usual."_ Lavi thought. He wondered if he should stop Kanda, but he didn't want to be the new target of Kanda's rage. He doubted being Kanda's boyfriend would excuse him from injury.

"Kanda!" Fortunately, they had Lenalee, Kanda's childhood friend, even before him. Lavi looked to see Lenalee gripping Kanda's wrist firmly. "Stop! That's enough! You've already broken his nose! You don't have to go so far!"

"Yeah," Allen said. He still sounded bored. And looked bored too. "Listen to Lenalee, Bakanda. She doesn't want you to fight, even if it's for her sake." He turned his head, his gaze sharp on the whimpering man, "A guy like that isn't even worth your fist anyway. He can't even dodge. You want to fight, fight me. I'll take you on anytime."

Kanda shifted cold eyes, "Is that a challenge, moyashi?"

Allen smirked, "You bet it is." He said.

"Allen!" Lenalee said disapprovingly as Allen and Kanda exchanged heated sparks between their eyes and Lavi sighed at the familiar scene. She frowned. "Now's not the time!"

"I know, I know. I was just trying to convince Bakanda to not waste energy on that guy," Allen said, shrugging, "It's overkill. Look, she just hit him a few times and there's blood on the floor already." He pointed.

Lenalee's eyes widened and she turned to Kanda, "Please stop, Kanda!" She said pleadingly, "I'm alright, really!"

"You're not hurt?" Kanda said tersely, fist clenched.

"No, not at all!" Lenalee insisted. She lifted her leg. "See, he didn't even injure me!"

"His punch was too weak." Allen said. "Lenalee blocked it easily."

"…Fine." Kanda said grudgingly.

"I told you." Lavi said, removing his headband and letting it slide down to rest on his neck as Kanda shot Rick one of Kanda Yuu's famous death glares. Lavi smiled easily down at the whimpering guy who was clutching his nose. "It's like a military alliance. You tried to hurt Lenalee so Yuu hurt you. Allen would have hurt you too but Yuu was faster. Actually, Lenalee herself would have kicked you quite hard but Yuu was faster." He nodded. "Even faster than me."

"Ah. I still kind of want to hurt you though. You tried to hurt Lenalee after all." Lavi said idly as he stooped and smiled at the frightened man, reaching out to grip his wrist tightly. He lowered his voice as if whispering a secret. "But Yuu wouldn't find it fair if I could hurt you and she can't. Then she would hurt me. And Lenalee doesn't want us to fight for her, so," he shrugged. "Man, you're lucky our princess has such a kind heart."

One green eye glinted. "I'm not as kind though." Lavi smiled and reached forward contemplatively. "Let's see, it should be around here…"

"Wha-AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The man screamed in pure pain, a sound so sudden even Allen and Kanda, who had been glaring at each other, looked surprised.

"Bullseye!" Lavi grinned, his face hidden by his hair. His moved his fingers, "And another one should be…here!"

Rick released another tortured sound of pain, tears forming in his eyes. Lavi smiled as if he was playing one of the arcade games. Well, not the dancing game that he sucked at. And it was kind of a game, wasn't it? "Hey, you're here so you're probably good at games, aren't you?" Lavi said. "Don't look so scared, I'm just playing a game. It's called "Locate the Pressure Points of the Bastard Who Hurt Lenalee _And_ Made _My_ Yuu Angry" His voice dropped, but he was still smiling. Lavi moved his hand. "And the next one-"

"Stop!" Surprisingly, it wasn't Lenalee who had shouted, but a guy whose face Lavi recognized as the friend of the guy he was torturing. Lavi blinked. "Please stop! He's really in pain! My name is Dean and I apologize on behalf of Rick, so just _please_ stop!"

Lavi turned, and looked the guy in the eye. "Why should I?" He said. "Your friend needs to learn a lesson. And I'm teaching it to him." He smiled again. "A lesson on pressure points. Your friend's lucky, you know? It's not easy to locate pressure points on the human body. A memory like mine helps a lot though," he pointed to his head with a sly smile, lowering his voice to a murmur so only the two of them could hear. "Photographic memory, that is."

Lavi watched as the guy's eyes widened, but before he could speak, Rick groaned. "F-Fuck, my nose really hurts…my whole body hurts…" He said. "Ugh, that guy really did a number on me…shit I was tricked because of his pretty face, no girl can punch that hard…and his fucking gay boyfriend even-"

Lavi's green eye narrowed at Rick but his friend blocked him, "I'm sorry. Please ignore what he said about you and your girlfriend." Dean said. "And I'm sorry he punched your friend, the girl, Lenalee, and threatened her boyfriend, Allen. He's just frustrated, he's having a tough time with his own girlfriend…" he said quickly.

Lavi looked at him. He smiled. "You're a good guy." He said. "And a good friend."

"Hey, stupid rabbit!" He heard Kanda's voice, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Why are you fighting that guy when _I_ can't?"

Lavi sighed. "Ah, I knew Yuu would be angry with me…" he said. He smiled at Dean, standing up. "Well. It was nice meeting you Dean, though I can't say the same for your friend Rick. Take care of him. But remember," his green eye glinted. "I remember his face. And if he's in a gang and he's gonna come after us, well, things aren't going to be pretty. Got it?" He turned and waved. "I'll let him off this time."

With those words, Lavi turned and walked back towards his friends. He offered Kanda a smile. "Hey, Yuu. Don't worry. I wasn't fighting him." He said. "I was just hurting him."

"Lavi-"

"Eheh. Sorry Lenalee! My hand slipped!" Lavi grinned brightly at the girl, who looked worried, "That guy's just more sensitive to pain than I thought."

"If…If you say so." Lenalee said softly. "I just don't want you or Kanda or Allen to fight-"

"Relax, Lenalee. I wasn't fighting him at all!" Lavi said, holding up his hands with a reassuring smile. "Honest. Really!"

"W-What the hell?!" The annoying voice bellowed, "I can't move-ARGHHHHH!"

"Rick! Don't move! You're injured!"

"Yeah leader, keep still! Your nose is broken!"

"THAT FUCKING BASTARD-"

"See? I just made sure he wouldn't be able to move." Lavi nodded with a satisfied smile as Allen, Lenalee and Kanda stared. "It's not fighting. It's just so he can lie down on that nice cold floor and reflect on his actions." He said. "And about the pain, well, it'll fade. It was kind of inevitable."

"Okay…" Lenalee said slowly. Lavi wondered if he had gone too far. Probably…not. The bastard had badmouthed all three of his only friends. He would have done more had the girls not been there. Lenalee clearly wanted him to stop, and Kanda would be pissed to have her prey taken away from her. And he wasn't exactly in Yuu-chan's good graces at the moment due to his horrible dancing skills. Allen, well, he could convince his deceptively innocent friend to join him. Allen was known as the resident bad boy of their school after all. Lavi tried not to muse on this matter for the thought was already tempting. And the noisy bastard was still there.

"Arghhh! It HURTSSSSSSSS!"

Yeah he was twisting and turning and writhing, as if trying to get away from the pain, as if it was a snake on the floor. It wasn't. It was a snake of red hot pain inside his body and he couldn't get away. But he was still trying to anyway. Lavi scoffed inwardly. If he was a man, he should just bear and endure the pain he deserved. For threatening a boy, hitting his girlfriend and making _his_ girlfriend angry. But he couldn't even do that, could he?

Hell, Lenalee had gritted her teeth and endured the pain in her legs when she fell down from a tall tree she had climbed in order to retrieve something important which belonged to Allen. And she had been only nine years old. Lavi remembered the scene as clearly as if it was a moving picture.

"Anyway," Lavi smiled at his friends. He raised a hand to run through his messy hair which was loose from his headband. "Sorry guys, but I'm gonna go play my favourite game for a while." He said. "I haven't played it for quite some time. I'll see you guys later, yeah?"

"Yeah." Lenalee smiled. "See you later, Lavi."

"And Kanda will too." Allen said. "Right, Bakanda?"

"Tch," Kanda scoffed, but looked at Lavi. "Don't get lost, stupid rabbit."

Lavi smiled. "I won't." He said simply. Then he turned and walked through the crowd who parted for him as if in fear. It didn't matter to him. He didn't know these people.

He glanced at the guy still twisting and turning on the floor. The more he moved, the more painful it would get. Not that it was any of his business. Let the bastard suffer. He deserved it.

Lavi let out a scoff he had to restrain earlier on and turned his gaze away.

What an idiotic human.

* * *

Silence followed when Lavi left. Finally, Allen spoke. "Am I the only one thinking Lavi is scary?" He said hesitantly.

"…You're not." Lenalee said, her eyes wide. "I didn't know…"

"We hardly know anything about him." Kanda said. "Besides the fact that he's a cheerful idiot and smart."

"Oh?" Allen said, a sly smile spreading across his face. "You want to know more about Lavi, Kanda? You can just ask him you know." He said. "He practically lives for you. Though I have no idea why."

"He does not live for me. He's a man who lives for himself." Kanda said, voice tense as if in remembrance of an unwanted memory. "No matter how he acts."

"Why do you say that, Kanda?" Lenalee asked anxiously. "Lavi really cares about you! If- If you're unsure about your relationship or anything, you can-"

"I am _not_ unsure." Kanda's voice was low. It would have been threatening had the words not been directed to Lenalee. "I am merely telling the truth. That man, Lavi Junior, lives for himself. He always has, and he always will." The dark haired Japanese turned, "You were his childhood friend, weren't you, moyashi? Before you moved."

"What do you know about him?"

"Huh?" Allen said. He frowned. "Lavi? We were really young then. Uh, he was the same as always. He didn't really act any different from now. He protected me from bullies- like _you_," he said and Kanda merely raised a mocking eyebrow. Allen clenched his teeth. "He liked to read. A lot. When we talked about future dreams and all he'd have many. He said he wanted to be an astronaut so he can see and remember what space is like." Allen mused. "But then he also said he'd be a pilot, but they probably wouldn't let him because he can only see with one eye. Pilots have to have perfect vision in both eyes. Then he said he wanted to be a scientist because he liked experimenting and reading up on theories…"

"So you see, we do know about Lavi. In the end he said he wanted to be a detective 'cause he saw the things normal people wouldn't see." Allen blinked. "I have no idea what he meant by that."

"I see." Lenalee said quietly. Allen turned to look at her and she smiled at him, then turned to Kanda. "Allen is right, Kanda. We do know things about Lavi. What do you think he is hiding from you?" She said. "I'm sure if you talk to Lavi about it, he'll tell you. He really likes you, Kanda."

Allen kept silent. He couldn't really imagine Kanda talking to Lavi. It was always Lavi talking to her and her scoffing or giving short replies. But he didn't want to dash Lenalee's hopes and desire to help her friends, so he didn't voice his thoughts.

"Kanda?"

"I get it." Kanda muttered in annoyance. Seriously, with that gruff voice and permanent frown, Allen couldn't see what Lavi saw in her. He couldn't even believe she was a girl. There was nothing to indicate she was female, except her pretty face. And long hair. Both of which Lenalee also had. Oh, he was so lucky to have Lenalee…

"Really?"

"Yeah, yeah. No promises though." Kanda said as Allen observed silently. Kanda always seemed to have a soft spot for Lenalee. The Japanese's reaction earlier just showed how protective she was over the other girl. He decided it was because they were childhood friends. Like him and Lavi had been. Only, Kanda had not had to move away from Lenalee like he had to from Lavi. So they were probably close. Well, it wasn't as if he and Lavi weren't close, but they probably weren't as close as Kanda and Lenalee, who had known each other and stayed with each other before either of them had known him and Lavi.

Though, when he had met Kanda, he hadn't known she was a girl. He had thought she was a boy. A boy who thought himself superior and bullied others. His first meeting with her only gave existence to two things. That damned nickname, or rather, insult, 'moyashi', and the beginning of his hatred for her. When he had met Lenalee, he couldn't believe that shy, sweet girl was the boyish Kanda's friend.

And then he had to move. And when he came back, there was Lavi, Lenalee, and a new girl he didn't recognize.

Allen sighed. Even after years, he still remembered that day...


	3. Chapter 2

_3 years ago_

Allen stood in front of Lavi's house nervously. He was back. He was finally back, after years. He was back at the place where the four of them had met. Him, Lavi, Lenalee, even Kanda.

He could care less about Kanda, but he wondered if Lenalee had already arrived. And if so, did that mean she was with Lavi? Alone? They had always been close, and they could have gotten closer when he had left. He knew Lavi liked Kanda- he had told him so, but what if his affections had changed? He himself had told Lavi in return that Kanda would break his heart. Lenalee was a really pretty girl and Kanda was, well, Kanda. Why would Lavi choose the grumpy Kanda when he could have the pretty Lenalee?

Allen started, then shook his head. This was not the time to think about that. They were all his friends, damn it! Lavi was his friend, the friend had had even before he had met Lenalee. And Kanda. He had left Lavi behind, and all he could think of was if he was dating Lenalee?

But then again, he hadn't even told Lenalee his feelings before he left. He hadn't had the courage to. He wasn't even sure if she liked him back. She had cried when he told her he had to leave, and he had comforted her, and she had made him promise to come back, and he had. They had been kids, and had shared a pinky promise. Allen smiled at the memory.

Inhaling, the white haired teenager pressed the doorbell. And then he waited.

Just as he was wondering if Lavi had forgotten he was coming, the door opened and a green eye blinked. "Uh…?"

"Lavi?" Allen said. "It's Allen."

Lavi stared at him. It had to be Lavi for the boy had an eyepatch and one green eye. And red hair. Even if it was in a headband and not the hairstyle he last remembered.

…It was Lavi, right?

That green eye blinked. Allen blinked back. But before he could open his mouth, Lavi grinned. He was sure it was Lavi now. Only Lavi could grin that widely.

"ALLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!" Allen yelped as Lavi tackled him in a hug, "Oh man! Is it_ really_ you?! I haven't seen you for one, two, three, four, five, six YEARRRRRRSSSS!"

"Uh-yeah it's me-ack!" Allen gasped as the redhead squeezed him tighter. "L-Lavi? I can't breathe…"

"Oops." Lavi said. He drew back and grinned at Allen, who inhaled to catch his breath. "Sorry. I got carried away. But man, you do look different!" He laughed and patted the shorter boy's shoulder. "I was comparing the image of you I had in my mind and the you I was actually seeing!" He said cheerfully. "Seriously, Allen? What happened to you? You don't look so girly anymore."

"Hey!" Allen exclaimed indignantly, and Lavi laughed.

"Kiddin'! But spiky hair's a good look for you." Lavi winked and gave him a thumbs up. "You're gonna get all the girls now, buddy!"

Allen raised his hand and ran it over his spiky white hair in abashment. "Thanks, I guess." He said.

_"I only want one girl though."_ He thought wistfully.

Lavi grinned at him. "Aww, my little Allen's all grown up!" He said proudly, running his gaze over Allen's fur jacket and pants with chains. "Woah. You a bad boy now or something?" He said in amusement and disbelief. "What a drastic personality change!"

"You have my Master, Cross, to thank for that." Allen said dryly.

"Your new guardian? You gotta let me meet him sometime!" Lavi exclaimed excitedly, practically bouncing on the doorstep. "Cross, huh? It's kind of a cool name. I bet he's a really cool guy, huh? Not like Gramps."

"I wouldn't say that." Allen said. He looked at Lavi. "You haven't changed at all." He smiled. "In fact, you've become more hyper." He said in fond exasperation.

"Yeah, I guess I haven't huh?" Lavi grinned. "Oh but I'm taller now!" He gave a sly wink. "You're taller too, moyashi-chan!" He reached out a hand to indicate their height difference and grinned blindingly down at Allen. "But you're still shorter than me!"

"Don't call me moyashi!" Allen huffed in annoyance, swatting away Lavi's hand. "Please don't be like Bakanda, Lavi."

"You still call Yuu that?" Lavi grinned. He didn't seem to be able to stop grinning. "Damn man, I really missed you." He said. "It's just not the same without you."

"I thought you had Bakanda and Lenalee."

"Yeah well, I do, but Yuu's Yuu and Lenalee's a girl," Lavi said, smiling a little awkwardly. "I kind of wanted my best guy friend back, you know?" He said. "I'm close with Yuu, but…"

"You mean you still like Kanda?" Allen was disbelieving.

Lavi shrugged, so Allen changed the subject. "How tall are you anyway?" He said. "You were only a little taller than me when we were kids." He scratched his head. "That was so long ago."

Lavi blinked, then smiled. "Almost six feet!" He said proudly. "I'm sixteen now, so hopefully I can be six feet by the time I'm eighteen." He said. "That's like my ideal height, you know? I don't want to be too tall or I'll have to bend down to get through doors." He joked. "Like Yuu's brother Marie."

"I see." Allen smiled.

"Yeah. Yuu's grown taller too." Lavi said, to Allen's displeasure. "Yuu grew really fast. I was scared I wouldn't be able to catch up!" He laughed. "I was shorter than Yuu for a while. But I'm taller now."

"And Lenalee?"

"Lenalee's grown too, of course. Though not as much as Yuu," Lavi smiled at Allen. "Not only in height, but in looks. She's become really pretty. And popular, especially amongst the guys in school." He said. "She still wears her hair in pigtails, though. You've been wanting to see her, right?"

Allen blushed. He vaguely remembered telling Lenalee she looked cute with her pigtails. "Yeah." He confessed. "She's here?"

"Yup. With Yuu. And me, before I came to get you." Lavi said. Allen looked at him as he pushed some of his hair under his headband.

"What's with that?"

"Hm?"

"That headband." Allen pointed curiously. "Is that a new fashion or something?"

"Fashion? Nah, Yuu gave it to me." Lavi smiled, a soft light in his green eye.

"Kanda gave you something?!"

"Yeah- Hey, what's with that incredulous look?!"

"Nothing." Allen said, in surprise. "I just can't imagine Bakanda giving anyone anything."

"Well maybe I managed to crack the ice around Yuu's heart." Lavi grinned as he ran a finger over his headband. "God knows I've been trying to for years, anyway."

"If it's you, I'm sure you've succeeded some." Allen said. "Even if I still don't understand why you would want to do that."

Lavi just smiled. "Yuu and Lenalee are in the living room." He said, and turned, flicking a hand, "C'mon Allen, we shouldn't just be standing here. I'm sure they want to see you too."

"I'm sure Lenalee does, but I'm not sure about Kanda." Allen said dryly.

Lavi chuckled heartily as they walked along, and Allen smiled, realizing he had missed the sound of his childhood friend's cheerful laughter. Before they had met Lenalee and Kanda, it had been the one thing that had cheered him up from the bullying because of his unusual white hair and birthmark. He touched a finger to the falling star on his forehead.

Lavi had told him it was a pentacle. Despite how he acted, Lavi was intelligent. And he probably had grown even more intelligent through the years with his curiosity and hunger for knowledge. He had been six years old and Lavi had told him he had read up and that birthmark he had looked like a pentacle, something associated with religious elements and dark matters. He had not understood then, and Lavi had put it simply to him that besides the kids who bullied him who thought he was weird, when Allen grew up, people who were particularly religious and superstitious (Lavi had explained that it was a term to describe people who believed in things which might not be real) would 'bully' him as well. Lavi had offered to cover up the mark, but Allen had refused. He wasn't going to change his appearance for the sake of other people, he had been born with it and that was it. Lavi had looked surprised, but then smiled and ruffled his hair, a fond look in his eye and said simply, "That's my Allen." Looking back, the older boy had looked almost older than the eight years he was, like he had aged a decade in that moment, and Allen couldn't understand why.

A decade. They were almost a decade from back then. Allen looked at Lavi. He was smiling like he always did, but he wondered what had happened to that side of Lavi in the time he had been away.

He was interrupted in his thoughts when he heard a feminine voice say, "I wonder what is taking Lavi so long. He seemed really excited just now."

"Tch," a masculine voice scoffed. "He said he had a surprise for us today. Who the hell knows what it is."

But Allen wasn't listening. His feet were already moving and he was dashing forward, towards Lenalee's voice-it had to be Lenalee's voice- ignoring Lavi's cry, "Wait!" Lavi said, running after him, "Allen!"

"Allen?!" Lenalee exclaimed. "Could it be-"

Allen burst into the room, eyes wide. "Lena- WAHHHHHHH!" he barely dodged the sword that came swinging at him, tumbling to the floor. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Who the hell is this?" His attacker said. Allen stared at the girl holding a sword. At least, he thought she was a girl. Because she was pretty. Really pretty. Her long black hair was in a silky ponytail and her black eyes were narrowed. Her arms were toned, so she probably worked out. Like him. Well, not exactly like him, since she was a girl and the muscle training he did wasn't exactly light exercise. Even for other guys his age. She had a pretty face, but her glare was very- not feminine and somehow very, very familiar. And she was holding a sword. A fucking sword. And it was pointed at him as he laid on the floor in surprise. "Who is this intruder?"

"Hey, don't attack him!" Lavi said, "You-"

"LAVI!" Allen shouted, standing up. He didn't want to hit a woman, so he glared at the aggressive girl, "You never told me you had a girlfriend over! You said it was just Lenalee and Bakanda!" He shouted. Trust Lavi to seek out the dangerous type of girls. And still be alive.

Lavi blushed, green eye wide. "Allen! She's not-"

"Girlfriend?" The masculine voice Allen had heard before said dangerously.

"What?" Allen blinked. "You're not a girl?"

"I," Allen gasped and froze as the blade of the sword pointed towards his face. "Do not belong to anyone."

"O-Okay." Allen said slowly, feeling sweat slide down his neck. Who the hell was this crazy…person who attacked people before they even knew them? "Alright, I get it! I'm not a threat, I swear!" He held his hands up. "Just put that sword down, okay?!"

The…androgynous person was staring at him. Suddenly his hair was grabbed and he was pulled forward, dangerously close to that pretty face. "Wait." The pretty person said. "That white hair…and scar," Allen grimaced as the blade of the sword touched his scalp. He hadn't been planning for a haircut anytime soon.

"You…" wide black eyes looked at him. "Moyashi?!"

Allen fumed, forcefully pulling himself away in his anger, "It's NOT moyashi, it's Allen-wait!" he exclaimed, eyes wide in incredulity. "T-That means…K-KANDA?!"

"Moyashi." The pretty person Allen now identified as KANDA said, eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you!" Allen was gaping, "What- I know Lavi told me you were here with Lenalee, b-but since when did you become a woman?! And-And what's with that sword?!" He pointed incredulously.

Said sword was pointed at him threateningly. "You have a problem with it?" Kanda said, voice low and dangerous.

"Uh, no." Allen relented, eying the sword wearily. Then he realized he was dealing with Kanda and glared. "Bakanda. You're still as annoying as ever!"

"H-Hey! Isn't this supposed to be a happy reunion?!" Lavi yelled over in exasperation, "Why are you two fighting?!"

"Bakanda started it!" Allen yelled back, "He-She pointed her sword at me! I didn't even do anything! I just stepped into the room!"

Lavi grimaced. "That's why I told you to wait!" He said, "But you were running 'cause you wanted to see Lenalee so much you didn't listen to me!"

Allen flushed as Lavi explained, "I forgot to tell you Yuu got a sword. I thought you would see it yourself later." He sighed. "But that attack was kind of meant for me, you know? For being distracted and spending so long coming back."

"Glad you know." Kanda scoffed at Lavi. "Stupid rabbit."

Allen stared as Kanda turned back to him. "Welcome back." His childhood tormentor said, and Allen stilled as the sword was inches from his throat. Kanda smirked. "And goodbye."

Before Allen could even brace himself or attempt to dodge, Kanda let out a sound so undignified the white haired boy blinked in surprise. He turned to stare at the scene that had produced such an unusual reaction from Kanda.

"Kanda!" Lenalee removed her leg from Kanda's head and Allen marvelled at her flexibility. She frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "That's enough! You can't hurt Allen when I've just seen him again after such a long time!" She scolded. "And you should stop threatening Lavi with Mugen too! It's dangerous!"

Kanda twitched, and Allen would have laughed if he hadn't been so surprised. To Allen's relief, the sword was drawn away from his throat and Kanda scoffed and turned away, raising a slender hand to black locks of hair, "Che!"

"That's right, Yuu!" Lavi called over with a grin, "Listen to our Princess!"

"Princess?" Allen said.

"Lavi!" Lenalee was embarrassed, "I told you to stop calling me that!"

"But it's what everyone at school calls you, Lenalee! Right, Yuu?!"

Kanda seemed to smirk in amusement at the inside joke and held up the sword which had almost pierced Allen. "I wield this sword for my Princess." The swordsman said.

"Kanda!" Lenalee was exasperated and looked about ready to kick Kanda a second time. "Not you too!"

Kanda shrugged and Lavi grinned as he moved towards them. He slung a casual arm around Kanda's shoulders. "See? Even Yuu agrees." He said, smiling. "You're a princess and Yuu and I are your bodyguards. Seriously Lena, you should dress up as a princess for Halloween! Even though it's still far away…"

"No way! I'm going as a witch!" Lenalee declared, lips pursed.

"Whaaaat?" Lavi pouted on Kanda's shoulder as Kanda frowned. "But that's sooo boring! And common! And it doesn't suit your image at all! You should totally be a princess!" He countered, pointing a finger at Lenalee. "Right, Yuu, Allen?!"

Kanda nodded and Allen stared until he realized he had been asked a question. "Um." He said. "Yeah."

Lenalee turned to him in surprise, "Really?" She asked. "Do you really think that, Allen-kun?"

Allen felt his face warm. Lenalee really had become pretty. And she had…breasts. Not that he was a pervert, but back then she hadn't had them and she just looked- so _different._ Like- like a young woman instead of the little girl he had known. Allen blushed. "Y-Yeah." He said nervously. Lenalee was sweet and kind and so-so perfect, "I-uh, think you'd be perfect as a princess, Lenalee…" damn it, why could he smooth talk other girls and yet he was stuttering in front of the only girl he had ever wanted?

"A-Ah…" Lenalee seemed to blush as well. "Is that so…"

"Yeah. I mean, Lavi and even Bakanda said it," Allen attempted to shrug, but his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. He looked at Lavi, who grinned at him as he waved from Kanda's shoulder. Kanda scowled at him but Lavi just smiled easily. How could Lavi even keep calm around Kanda? He…liked her, didn't he?

"I see…" Lenalee smiled. "What are you going as, Allen-kun?"

"Ah, me? I haven't decided. I mean, I wasn't even sure if I was gonna take part. I just came back after all!" Allen blabbered. Shit, he might even have to ask Lavi for some tips. And Lavi would tease him. Endlessly. "I mean, if you guys are gonna take part, I guess I might as well…"

"Hmmm…" Lenalee said contemplatively as she stared at Allen, who smiled nervously. "What should you be…?"

"Tch," Kanda said, smirking, for Allen had long learned that 'Tch' apparently constituted as a word for Kanda, whose vocabulary was limited and compromised of mostly, 'Tch', 'Che', (Yes, 'Tch' and 'Che' were different words, Kanda did not use them interchangeably. 'Tch' was normal, 'Che' was for people who pissed him off. Or to just show he was pissed off.) 'Moyashi', 'Stupid rabbit', 'Lenalee', 'Idiot', and 'You'.

"Moyashi should go as a clown. He's a joke with that white hair. He won't even need a costume."

Allen glared at Kanda and Kanda glared back, and Lavi quickly intercepted as sparks flew between them, "Now don't say that, Yuu-chan!" He said with a smile, "Allen! You can go as a Prince! So Princess Lenalee won't be alone! A Princess needs her Prince Charming after all!" He snickered.

"L-Lavi!" Lenalee blushed. She turned to Allen, who was gaping slightly, "I'm sorry, Lavi has become such a joker while you've been away!" She said. "Please don't take what he said seriously!"

"Ah…" Allen said slowly, feeling his heart sinking as he met Lenalee's wide eyes. That…meant she didn't want him to be her prince, right? Maybe she had some other guy in mind. Like Lavi. He was tall and smart. Or Kanda, who was tall too and could handle a sword. He could be her knight. Or not, since Kanda was a girl. Supposedly. He still couldn't believe it anyway. He would have thought Kanda was screwing with him on purpose but Kanda never was the joking type. So Lavi had been crushing on a girl the whole time, and not a guy like they had both believed?

"See?" Kanda said with a taunting smirk, which was very not feminine at all, "Moyashi should just go as a clown after all."

"Kanda!" Lenalee said indignantly. She looked at Allen, and Allen blinked as her cheeks tinted pink. "Ah but…if you want to go as a prince, it's fine too! I mean, I don't mind going with you, Allen…"

"Lenalee…" Allen said. His heart lifted as she smiled at him, and he smiled back. "If that's what you want, I wouldn't mind at all." He said. Maybe…just maybe, she was nervous like him too.

Lenalee looked surprised, before she smiled softly at him. "I would want that." She said. "I really missed you…Allen-kun."

Allen smiled genuinely. "Me too…Lenalee."

It was like the world around them had suddenly disappeared, as if Lavi and Kanda were not there, and it was just him and Lenalee in their space, like when they were kids, but intensified now that they were teenagers- awkward but full of emotions. Allen stilled, but not in a uncomfortable way like he had when Kanda threatened him with that sword, and looked at Lenalee as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek, his heart beating fast in his chest. What would she say after seeing him for the first time after so long?

Lenalee smiled at him, quelling all his worries. "Welcome home." She said softly. "Allen-kun."

Allen's eyes widened before he smiled, and placed his hand over Lenalee's. What had he expected her to say? She was Lenalee. "I-I'm home." He said, feeling tears pricking his eyes. "Lenalee."

Unfortunately, their touching moment was interrupted by none other than Lavi, who wrapped his arms around Allen's shoulders with a blinding grin, "Yeah! Welcome home, Allen!" He said cheerfully. The redhead craned his neck, and his grin became mischievously wide. "Eh? Are you crying?!"

"What-no!" Allen said quickly. Lenalee had removed her hand in surprise and he cursed Lavi for interrupting as he swept his hand over his cheek. "I'm not crying!"

"You were, you were!" Lavi sang loudly, winking, "Allen was crying!"

Kanda raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "Tch. Looks like Moyashi is still a crybaby."

"Shut up, Bakanda!"

But he was happy. Happy to be back with the people who had befriended him despite his unusual appearance. Who had not forgotten about him after six years. Even Kanda- had welcomed him back, even if it had almost cost him his neck.

Lenalee giggled, her eyes shining bright, happy to have all her precious friends together with her. "Anyway," she said, changing the subject much to Allen's relief, "What are you two dressing up as for Halloween, Lavi, Kanda?"

Kanda turned to look at her, and smirked, showing teeth. "A vampire."

"Eh, Yuu?!" Lavi exclaimed. "You're too pretty to be a vampire! Vampires are scary!" He shivered. "They suck your blood!"

"I am not pretty." Kanda said tersely.

"You are! Anyway Lenalee, I'm gonna be a pirate!" Lavi said with a bright grin. "Ah I was thinking of being a werewolf at first, but I don't know where I'll get those ears. So I'll be a pirate instead!" He said decidedly, winking his one green eye as he raised a hand, "I already have the customary eyepatch anyway!"

"A pirate," Kanda muttered. "A pirate rabbit….a rabbit pirate…" the long haired Japanese paused. "…Baka usagi."

"I understood that, Yuu-chan! _Why _am I a rabbit anyway?!" Lavi pouted unhappily. Kanda looked at him and he smiled. "Hey, Yuu? Don't be a vampire! Be something more interesting! Like…" he mused as Kanda blinked. Lavi blinked, then grinned. "I know! Yuu can be my captive! I'm a Pirate so Yuu will be my captive, my really pretty, gorgeous, beautiful Noble-w-wah!" Lavi ducked to dodge Kanda's sword, "KIDDING! I was just kidding, Yuu!" He grinned nervously as Kanda twitched and glared, "Really! It was a joke! I just wanted us to go as a pair!"

"I won't be paired with you." Kanda said coldly, but withdrew the sword known as Mugen. Lavi pouted and Kanda looked away.

"Always so mean…Yuu-chan."

"Tch."

Allen was suddenly glad his potential girlfriend didn't wield a sword and could kill him anytime if he was being an idiot. He looked at Lenalee, who smiled at him. She was wearing a blouse and skirt which he supposed was her school uniform. The blouse fitted her and her breasts (Allen mentally slapped himself at this point, _damn_ male teenage hormones!) perfectly and had a symbol on it – probably the symbol of their school. The skirt was short with white stripes, above her knees, and Allen quickly tore his gaze away for he wasn't a pervert. He looked at her hair instead, finding it was indeed still in pigtails. She was Asian, Chinese, and her hair was black, but when he looked properly, there were greenish tints that didn't seem unnatural. Her eyes were black with flecks of violet that shone under the light. Allen liked to see them as violet. A very pretty violet.

Lenalee blinked her pretty violet eyes at him and Allen flushed, and quickly turned his gaze somewhere else instead. Lavi was smiling at Kanda who wasn't even looking at him. He took in the appearance of his first friend. His reddish-orange hair was still as messy as he last remembered, but the bangs that would have fallen over his eye were kept up by a headband- the headband that Kanda had given him. Supposedly the same Kanda who wasn't even looking at him. He was dressed in a uniform with the same symbol as Lenalee's. His shirt covered his broad shoulders, and his long pants reached his ankles. Allen blinked. So that would be his new school uniform.

The white haired boy turned to Kanda and found her-him- screw it, he would think of Kanda as a guy like he always had until he could believe otherwise. Kanda was wearing the same uniform as Lavi, holding his sword in his hand. His black hair had grown, a lot, so much that it had to be put in a ponytail which touched his back. His narrow black eyes were as cold as he remembered, perhaps even colder. His chest was flat, unlike Lenalee's, from what he could see of it with Kanda turned away, and he looked like the image of a pretty boy with slender shoulders. Allen blinked. He had thought Kanda was a girl because of his pretty face- but maybe he had made a mistake? With that face and slender body, Kanda was pretty androgynous.

He must have been staring for too long, for Kanda turned and scowled at him. "What are you looking at, moyashi?" The swordsman said.

"Nothing." Allen mumbled, but his eyes couldn't help but stray to Kanda and his new appearance again. Maybe the small, barely there lumps he had thought he had seen on Kanda's chest were just the creases of his shirt? Kanda had not denied being a woman, but he had not acknowledged it either. Which was quite unfair, for Allen was curious and wanted to know the answer to his question. Why did stupid Kanda have to be so androgynous and look both like a pretty girl and a pretty boy?

"Oi, Bakanda."

Kanda turned a sharp glare at him. "Don't butcher my name, moyashi." He said. "Or I'll slice you to pieces with Mugen."

Allen glared back. Happily. It had been years since he had glared back at his childhood tormentor. "I'll stop calling you that when you stop calling me moyashi." He retorted. "Bakanda."

"Moyashi…" Kanda growled. Not very feminine at all, Allen thought.

"Kanda." Allen said. Kanda actually looked at him, and he inhaled. "Are you a guy or a girl?" He said bluntly.

Kanda stared and Allen wondered if he was going to get killed if he blinked in the silence that followed. Even Lavi was silent. The situation must be really bad, he thought idly, and resisted the urge to blink.

Then Kanda smirked. "Why don't you see for yourself?" He said, and then Allen was the one staring as slender hands reached up to unbutton the shirt.

"W-What-" Lavi choked. He sprang to action when Kanda had popped open the second button from the collar. "Y-YUU!" He practically shrieked, rushing to grab Kanda's wrists. His green eye was wide. "What are you doing?! Yuu-chan! You can't just show off your chest like that! To anyone except me! You can't seduce another man-AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Kanda, whose eyebrow had been twitching warningly the whole time Lavi was rambling, had snapped and kneed Lavi. In the groin. Allen winced in sympathy and Lenalee gasped as Lavi crumbled to the floor, whimpering.

"OWWwwwWWW! It hurts, it hurts, IT HURTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

"KANDA!" Lenalee screamed in horror, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Kanda seemed to wince at her volume but replied, "Because I know how much that hurts." He huffed. "He was pissing me off."

"STILL!" Now Kanda was definitely wincing as Lenalee was pulling his ear to bend him down to her height. And shouting into it. Or more like screaming. "YOU WERE THE ONE BEING INDECENT! YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT! APOLOGIZE TO LAVI!"

Kanda looked pained and annoyed at the same time. It was an interesting expression on the guy who was always scowling and looking like the whole world and everyone around him pissed him off. Seeing Lenalee was dealing with Kanda, and quite effectively too, so Allen quickly made his way to Lavi's side.

"Lavi!" Allen exclaimed, dropping to his knees beside the whimpering boy. He grimaced. "Oh man, that must have _hurt_. Especially since it's Kanda. Are you okay?"

"I'll…survive…" Lavi gritted out with a pained smile. "Dude. Yuu-chan didn't hold back at all…ugh!" He winced, pain in his green eye as he clutched at his abused area, "Allen. Remind me…never to piss Yuu off again."

"I'm sorry," Allen apologized guiltily. "It was my fault, I provoked Kanda."

"'S not your fault, Allen…" Lavi said with a weak smile. "I guess I overreacted. It's…not like I'm Yuu's boyfriend or anything." He shrugged weakly.

"Lavi…"

"Kanda."

"Yeah yeah, I hear you Princess," Kanda grumbled and Lenalee let go of his ear. He rubbed at the swollen flesh. "Sorry."

"Who?" Lenalee demanded.

"Lavi."

"Why are you looking at me? I'm not Lavi." Lenalee said, looking at Kanda sternly. "I'm not the one whom you kicked where it hurts the most!" Her voice rose.

Kanda scoffed, but turned to face Lavi. "Hey, stupid rabbit," the swordsman said, as Lenalee reached up to button Kanda's shirt, covering what smooth bare skin had been revealed. Lavi and Allen watched as Lenalee glared at him and he corrected, "Lavi." Black eyes looked away. "S-Sorry."

The apology was soft, but it was there. Allen had never heard Kanda apologize in his life. Lavi looked surprised too. He looked as if Kanda had just confessed his love to him. Or told him he was a girl. For girl or not, Kanda Yuu would never say something so feminine. Lavi didn't seem to care that the person apologizing to him had possibly ensured he would not be able to have little Lavi Juniors in the far future. Even if the person who had possibly ensured such was the only one he would possibly have those little Lavi Juniors with. Possibly. Because Allen still wasn't one hundred percent sure that Kanda was actually female. He had kneed Lavi in the groin, which was a cowardly tactic for a guy, but he had said it was because he knew what that pain was like. Allen shook his head. Now wasn't the time. Not when his curiosity had killed not a cat (him) but a rabbit instead.

Lenalee looked satisfied, and whispered something to Kanda.

"Yuu…"

Kanda shifted his gaze, and Allen watched as he turned and walked towards them. Or Lavi, since he was shoved away with a gruff, "Out of my way, moyashi."

Allen was too surprised to retort, as Kanda was holding out a slender hand to Lavi. "Get up." The long haired Japanese said. "If you're still a man, get up."

"I-Yuu…" Lavi said, green eye wide. Kanda looked at him and he smiled, reaching out. He grabbed onto Kanda's hand, pulling himself up, "Yeah. I'm your man. I won't fall so easily-wah!"

"Oh God." Allen said, slapping a hand to his face in exasperation as Lavi tripped over his own feet and fell. Onto Kanda. Which was kind of fitting in a way, since Lavi had already fallen for Kanda and now he had fallen onto Kanda. Why wasn't he surprised? Maybe because Lavi was careless and clumsy around his crush despite his occasional cool moments. Like he was with his own childhood love. It made him feel better, actually. So he wasn't the only one fumbling around his crush like a complete, inarticulate, linguistically challenged idiot and ruining his own cool image. Allen smiled in relief. Misery loved company after all.

"O-Oww…so much for not falling…"

At least Lavi was smart enough to recognize the irony of the situation which was sure to piss Kanda off. Not that Allen looked down on Lavi's intelligence. Not at all. Lavi was probably smarter than him, back then, and now. He just wasn't very smart around Kanda. Allen wondered what it was about the androgynous teen that turned Lavi stupid. He hoped it wasn't contagious.

It couldn't be love, could it? He wasn't _that_ much of an idiot around Lenalee.

Wait. Did he love Lenalee? He knew he liked her, but did he love her?

"Y-You stupid, _clumsy_ rabbit! GET OFF ME!"

Lavi had landed, straddling Kanda, his face planted almost directly into Kanda's chest, his hands on either side of Kanda's head. "G-Guh." He said. His green eye widened and he shot up, and Allen watched in amusement as his face rapidly heated up and turned as red as his hair. Allen had never seen Lavi blush so furiously before. And was it his imagination or was Kanda blushing too? Kanda? _Blushing?_

"G-GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'M SORRY, YUU-CHAN! SORRY SORRY SORRY!" Lavi shrieked loudly as he leapt away from Kanda like he had just been almost impaled by a bed of spikes, and Allen winced. "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I SWEAR! PLEASE DON'T KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"_You_…"

"EEEEEK! LENALEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Lenalee blinked in surprise as Lavi sought refuge behind her, whimpering and clutching onto her shoulders and bending down as if trying to hide from the killer aura Kanda was exuding. And seemed to be transferring to Mugen, the sharp edge of the sword glinting at him. "SAVE MEEEEEEEEE!"

"K-Kanda's not going to kill you, Lavi." Lenalee finally said in surprise. "It was an accident, right?"

"That's right! An accident!" Lavi nodded vigorously, still blushing. He buried his face in Lenalee's neck, yelling, "It was an accident!"

"If it was an accident you should stop blushing like a pervert." Allen said, slightly annoyed Lavi was clinging to Lenalee.

"Allen!" Lavi cried out indignantly as he removed his face from Lenalee's neck, "Whose side are you on?! And it's not as if I want to!"

"Pervert."

"SHUT UP!"

"Hiding behind Lenalee," Kanda hissed. "You coward."

Lenalee sighed as Lavi made a pathetic noise. "Come on Lavi," she said in exasperation, "Don't be like that. Kanda won't hurt you. Here!"

"Uwah! L-Lenalee!" Lavi cried out in betrayal as Lenalee somehow managed to remove him from her shoulder and steer him towards Kanda. "Uh…H-Hi Y-Yuu…"

"Tch!"

"Are…are you angry?"

"Che!" Kanda glared at Lavi, "Idiot. Your face is red."

"A-Ah yeah…" Lavi said nervously, reaching up to feel his warm face. He averted his gaze, "S-Sorry for being so clumsy when you were trying to help me…"

"Hmph."

"Y-Yuu-"

"You alright?"

"Eh?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"A-Ah…I'm fine. The pain's gone." Lavi said in surprise.

"Is that so."

"…Yeah." Lavi smiled. Kanda looked at him, then turned away. But Lavi was still smiling. "Thanks…and sorry for overreacting."

"Hn."

Lenalee giggled as she watched the scene. "They're so cute, aren't they?" She said to Allen.

"Eh?" Allen said in surprise. When had she moved next to him?

"Lavi and Kanda." Lenalee smiled and grabbed Allen's arm, dragging him away from the hearing range of Lavi and Kanda. "You know, in our school, Lavi's a huge flirt with the girls. But when it comes to Kanda," she giggled. "He's so clumsy and awkward! The times when it matters the most anyway! And Kanda's reactions! It's adorable!"

"Ah yeah…" Allen said uncertainly, unsure what she was talking about but liking the sound of her voice anyway. And the feel of her hand on his arm.

Lenalee grinned at him. "Hey, Allen-kun?" She said, "Want to matchmake them?"

"What?"

"Well, they clearly like each other," Lenalee pointed out. She released Allen's arm and smiled at him, "So we should get them together!" She sighed, "I've been trying, but I haven't been very successful on my own!" She said, pouting, "Particularly because both Kanda and Lavi think I always need them! Really, they act like my bodyguards when there's nothing to protect me from!" She complained, "It's not that I don't appreciate their care, but I can take care of myself." She said.

"I see." Allen said, the image of Lenalee landing a kick on Kanda's head coming to mind. He smiled.

"Alright, Lenalee. I'll help you get Bakanda and Lavi together. Lavi's been pining after Kanda for years anyway. God knows it's time he did something about it. Though it's not like anyone would steal Bakanda away."

"Which is what I've been trying to tell him, but he always changes the subject," Lenalee said with a sigh. "Maybe he's uncomfortable talking with me since I'm a girl. Maybe he'll be more open with you."

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Allen-kun!" Lenalee reached forward to clasp his hand, "Things are going to be so fun now that the four of us are together again!"

"Why do I feel like those two are plotting something?"

"Tch. Moyashi better not drag her into anything stupid!"

"Hey, hey Yuu. It's alright, isn't it? Allen's our friend too!"

"…Hmph. "

And as Lenalee smiled happily at Allen and he caught sight of Kanda and Lavi looking towards them, Allen smiled back, putting his hand over hers, realizing with a sense of contentment that he was back home.

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to it!"

* * *

"Moyashi. Oi, Moyashi!"

Allen jolted as he was shoved roughly forward. He gasped then snapped back to reality, glaring at the culprit. "What the hell, Bakanda?! And it's Allen!"

Kanda scoffed. "You were spacing out." She said. "What the hell were you thinking about?"

"You looked like you were thinking of something nice so we didn't want to disturb you," Lenalee said cheerfully, pointing to the dancing machine behind, "But Kanda just checked her score and came back…and you were still out of it."

"A-Ah…" Allen blinked. He smiled sheepishly, "I was just thinking of the past…"

"The past, huh…" a soft voice said.

Allen blinked. Realizing the voice didn't sound feminine, he turned to his rival. "Kanda?"

Kanda didn't reply. Allen frowned. "Kanda!" He said, louder.

Kanda blinked. Black eyes turned to him. "What, Moyashi?"

"What's with that look?"

"Huh?"

"That look. Like you're thinking of something faraway." Allen said curiously. He blinked. "You looked…almost sad."

Kanda stared in surprise, and Allen decided he hadn't imagined that melancholic expression on her face.

"It's nothing." Kanda said quietly.

Allen frowned. Something was definitely wrong. And he was worried because somehow, no matter how much of a bastard Kanda was, she had somehow grown to be his friend and he did care. Though he didn't exactly show it often.

"I'm going to play the basketball game." Kanda declared, and walked away.

"Eh? Wait, Kanda!" Lenalee said in surprise.

"Kanda!" Allen yelled, "Wait up! I'm coming with you!"

"Allen-kun!"

"Sorry Lenalee," Allen smiled apologetically at her. "But I have to catch up to Bakanda. I'll see you later, okay?"

"…Alright." Lenalee smiled understandingly. "I understand. I'll go find Lavi then." She paused. "I don't know why, but it seems we've…grown kind of distant." She said softly. "When did it happen?"

"Lenalee." Allen placed his hands on her shoulders with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, yeah? We're all still friends." He said. "No matter what happens, whatever problems we face, we'll always be friends." Somehow, he felt a sense of déjà vu, but brushed it away.

"Yeah, you're right." Lenalee's smile became brighter. "Then, you should go."

"Yeah." Allen said. He smiled at Lenalee, then dashed off to catch up with Kanda. "I'll be going! I'll contact you by phone later!"

"Alright!" Lenalee called back as Allen ran to Kanda's side. She stared after the two of them as a frown slipped onto her face. The teenage girl bit her lip worriedly, her eyes on her childhood friend.

_"Kanda…what are you hiding from us?"_


	4. Chapter 3

_Just to confirm, Kanda is female in this story, even if it may not seem so. That's why I put 'genderbent' in the summary. I'll understand if you stop reading and please do excuse me for the misunderstanding. I was going for a more unconventional approach, or so I saw it as. The song in the Prologue is somewhat related to the plot. Things will be explained later. Much later. If I can even get to that part._

* * *

What had he done?

He had lost control. He had lost control in front of his friends.

In front of Yuu.

"Fuck." Lavi growled. Resisting the urge to slam his hands onto the machine, he sighed and swiped his card across the sensor. He pocketed the card and inhaled, then reached forward when he felt calm enough, his fingers making motions to start the game.

Music blasted, and Lavi chose the song. It was a music game, but the game was played by hands instead of feet like the dancing game Kanda was so good at. It was a simple game, he just had to touch the boxes which lighted up on the screen, in tune with the music. Of course, it got a little harder according to the various levels.

It was a Japanese song- every music game seemed to be associated with Japan. It was fast, but Lavi already had the song memorized. His fingers had already memorized the exact movements in the exact beats required to complete the song with a perfect score.

But it wasn't because he was talented. He had just been born with an excellent memory. He hadn't even needed to practice.

It was his favourite game because it distracted him from the outside world. When he was playing, he listened only to the music blasting, and saw only the boxes lighting up in succession in front of him. Only music and lights, no voices or other sounds. No human noises.

Lavi used the beats of the music to help him calm down as his fingers moved swiftly with the music. He felt detached, and that was good. Having no attachments was better. If he saw everyone around him as the same, there would be no need to feel.

But he had attachments, attachments he didn't want to get rid of. People like his guardian, Allen, Lenalee, Yuu.

_"Yuu…"_

He probably didn't deserve Yuu, but he liked her all the same. He liked her a lot, for someone who had been rather detached from the world since he was born. Yuu was cold, but he could be more emotionless than her. It was a side of himself he had kept hidden from her and the others. It was not as if the current him was fake, it was just that he had other sides to him not many had seen. And one of those sides…had come out just now.

Though it wasn't like he had MPD or anything. It wasn't voices talking in his head. Those sides were still him. It wasn't like he had developed them through certain stages in his life. They had just always been there. He didn't want to give them names, because they shouldn't be distinguished. They were all him.

Weren't they?

Lavi frowned. The song had finished and he selected a harder song. His fingers moved faster and faster as his thoughts whirled.

Of course they were him, they couldn't be anyone else. It wasn't as if he was mentally unstable or schizophrenic. He just had different sides to him. He didn't want to show those different sides to Yuu – because, well, he wanted to be perfect in her eyes. But that was impossible for he was nothing like perfect. But he wanted to present his best image to her, he didn't want to let her know how cold to humanity he could actually be. Even if Yuu was cold, she wasn't as detached as he was. She was aware of everything going on. And so was he – but that was because he had no choice, with his memory taking in everything before him and imprinting it into his mind- whether he wanted to or not. It was troublesome, really.

Lavi knew he was really clumsy and stupid around Yuu. But he couldn't help it. It's not as if he wanted to be an idiot around his girlfriend. But Yuu- Yuu was just so perfect and pretty and beautiful and everything he wasn't- and it was just inevitable for him to make a fool of himself around her. For once, he didn't mind a term society had come up with, 'girlfriend'. Yuu was nothing like a typical girlfriend, but that term made it seem like she did belong to him. Hell, he wouldn't mind if she would rather be his 'boyfriend' with how unfeminine Kanda Yuu was, he wouldn't be surprised – just as long as he had some reassurance they did have a relationship, that Kanda Yuu was in some way, _his_.

No, he could never show his other sides to her. Something told him Yuu wouldn't like it. He didn't want their relationship to change, possibly for the worse, didn't want her to see him differently. And he wanted Yuu to like…him. Like the person named Lavi Junior. He wanted Kanda Yuu to like Lavi Junior, whoever he was.

_"Why do I feel this way? Am I…in love?"_

Love. It was such an unfamiliar term to him. Someone so detached from humanity…had fallen in love? Ridiculous.

Love. It was different from 'like'.

Like was fondness, love was – dedication. Love meant wanting to give everything of himself to Kanda Yuu and wanting to have all of Kanda Yuu. It almost scared him. Why would Yuu want him anyway? He wasn't perfect like her. And Yuu was so cold to him, why would she share herself with him?

He knew Yuu didn't hate him – if she did she wouldn't have even allowed him to stay by her side. But Yuu didn't exactly like him either. Well Kanda Yuu didn't seem to like anyone but that wasn't the point. He liked her. He liked her when he had first seen her – him. Because he had thought she was a guy at first when they had met when they were kids. He had liked his independence, the way he didn't seem to give a damn about what anyone thought about him, so unlike everyone else around him. And she had just been a kid. He had been a kid as well, but even as a kid he had been jaded. Imperfect.

It almost felt like he had known her forever. He'd felt a connection between them, though he couldn't decipher what it was. And he knew it wasn't his imagination for he felt everything acutely.

He wondered if Yuu had felt it too.

_"I'm…not supposed to have a heart."_

Lavi started at the thought, his green eye slightly wide. Where had that come from? Well it's not as if it was wrong for he'd once thought not caring was better. But…the way that had sounded in his head…was as if it was a vow he had made to himself. After…after what?

"Damn…my head hurts." Lavi gritted his teeth. He removed one hand from the screen and pressed it to his forehead to quell the dull aching, the fingers of his other hand spreading across the screen.

His hair was touching his eye. Grimacing, Lavi used his free hand to remove his headband from his neck. He used it to hold up his hair, which was getting long. Which was why he had his headband to keep it away from his eyes. The headband Yuu had given him. Lavi smiled. It had been such a surprise to receive a gift from Kanda Yuu. She had said it annoyed her to see him with his hair messy like that. So he'd worn it, he liked it anyway.

Lavi returned his other hand to the screen, humming the song with a smile. Somehow, he felt better.

Now that he'd returned to reality, he could hear whispers around him.

"His fingers are moving so fast!"

Obviously, or he wouldn't be able to play the game and catch up with the music. Lavi frowned. Why did people have to state the obvious? Like the people who had been watching Kanda. He knew she was pretty and a beauty without anyone saying it. Everyone knew. Especially him.

He tried to tune out the whispers and focused on the game instead. He had been playing it for a while, he would go back after this. The others were probably worried about him, he hadn't exactly been himself after all.

_"When did I become so detached from this world?"_

"Lavi!"

A voice sounded out through the whispers, a voice that was actually meant to be heard unlike the rest. He recognized that voice.

"Lenalee!"

"I found you!" She smiled brightly at him. "The arcade sure is crowded today!"

"Yeah, it's a weekend." He smiled back at her. "Teenagers have nothing better to do than to come here." He joked.

"Well, not everyone is a genius like you, Lavi!" Lenalee replied good naturedly.

"Aww, you flatter me," Lavi grinned, feeling himself relax around his close friend. "I just like to read!"

Lenalee smiled and peered over. Her eyes widened. "Wow, you're at this level?" She said in surprise, "You're really good!"

"Ahaha, nah, I just have a good memory." Lavi smiled as he moved his fingers across the screen, pressing on the lighted boxes which seemed to be lighting up further away from each other so he had to bend his fingers to reach them at the same time according to the beat of the music.

"You're moving really fast though!" Lenalee said and Lavi noted it sounded similar to what that someone had said, but unlike that someone, Lenalee had not been whispering about him like he was some attraction. "I don't play this game much because I'm not good at it." She admitted sheepishly.

"You're really good at dancing though, according to Allen," Lavi smiled at his friend, "I'd like to see you dance someday, Lenalee."

"Yeah, we can dance together!" Lenalee suggested cheerfully.

"Eh, I'll pass," Lavi replied with a sheepish grin, "I suck at dancing, I'm so clumsy I always trip and fall!"

"Don't say that!" Lenalee frowned slightly. "Don't let Kanda get you down, Lavi!"

"Well, it's true." Lavi said. "Where is Yuu anyway?"

"Playing the basketball game with Allen." Lenalee said. She smiled. "Those two are so competitive!"

"Yeah." Lavi said with a smile. "They get along well, huh?" He said. Lenalee looked at him and he grinned, "Not that I'm jealous or anything!"

"But seriously," Lavi adopted a milder tone, "It seems that Yuu does pay more attention to Allen than me."

Lenalee seemed to roll her eyes. "Have more confidence, Lavi!" She said, crossing her arms, "Who is Yuu Kanda's boyfriend?"

"Me?" Lavi said as if it was a mere guess.

"And?"

"Ah. Okay, okay, I understand," Lavi said, smiling sheepishly. "Don't glare at me, Lenalee! Geez. You must have been spending too much time with Yuu. Next thing I know you'll be holding a sword to my throat!"

"Or I might just kick you instead." Lenalee said with a smirk, lifting her foot. "With my new boots."

"You're definitely spending too much time with Yuu," Lavi shook his head with a fond smile. "Mm, I better tell Allen to watch out!"

Lenalee hit him lightly. "Idiot," she said, and smiled as he laughed. She turned her gaze to the screen. "They're lighting up so fast…how do you even catch them?!"

"Ahaha. Practice, practice." Lavi said in amusement. "And a good memory."

"Seriously? I'm getting dizzy Lavi, and I'm not the one playing!"

"Close your eyes then, Lenalee. I'll be done soon. Approximately 1 minute 32 seconds. Then we can go find the best friends."

"That is _not _approximate at all." Lenalee said, taking out her phone and pressing a button to light up the screen. "That is exact."

"Haha. Wanna time?"

"Already on it!"

Lavi chuckled. The rhythm was getting faster and he moved his fingers faster, never blinking. The boxes were lighting up all over the screen, two and three at a time. He tapped three boxes at the top left corner with three fingers and then the two boxes in the middle with his other hand, as the song ended with a bang.

"1 minute 30 seconds, but I took time to start the recording," Lenalee said, her violet eyes wide. "That was…amazing, Lavi!"

"What are you saying? It's no big deal." Lavi said with a cheerful grin. "I told you, it's not skill. It's the memory, the memory!" He pointed at his head.

"Still, it's amazing. I wish I had your memory, studying would be so much easier!"

Lavi laughed. He turned away from the machine and put a hand on Lenalee's shoulder. He could hear people whispering again – about how she must be his girlfriend for they looked close and guys whispering about how pretty she was – and what was such a pretty girl doing in the arcade? Just because Lenalee was pretty and feminine and sweet she was autotmatically unsuitable for the arcade? He would bet she was as good at the shooting game as them or even better. They were lucky Allen wasn't there. He didn't care much for their opinions, but couldn't a guy and girl be close friends without being assumed to be together?

Apparently not, for people would always make assumptions. Lenalee looked up at him and Lavi smiled down at her.

"Well, let's go find the best friends, shall we?"

* * *

"So, who won?"

"Me, of course-"

"It was a draw!"

"What are you saying, Moyashi? Your score was 229 and mine was 230!"

"No!" Allen said firmly, "My score was 230! The ball went into the hoop at the last second – the machine just didn't record it!"

"…Yeah right." Kanda said with a smirk. "Sore loser."

"What did you say?!"

"Arguing as usual," Lavi said idly as he popped a french fry into his mouth, resting his chin on his hand. "Why are we here _again_?"

"Because Allen-kun likes the burgers?" Lenalee pointed out cheerfully as Allen munched on a burger while glaring at Kanda viciously.

"I said you're a sore loser. Don't make excuses just because you lost, moyashi!"

"Well, I won the first time! Your score was 216 and mine was 218!"

"Yeah but _I_ won the second time. Your score was 222 and mine was 229." Kanda smirked. "And I won the third time too, your score was 229, and _mine_ was 230."

"No, it was 230! I swear it _was_ 230! That ball went _in_!"

"Do you have any proof?"

"Wy yah bustard-!"

"Allen-kun!" Lenalee said in exasperation, "Please don't talk with your mouth full!"

"That's right, Moyashi," Kanda smirked tauntingly, taking a sip of coke. "Listen to your girlfriend. Your table manners are atrocious. You're embarrassing her."

"You picking a fight?" Allen gritted his teeth. "And speak for yourself, Bakanda! I listen to Lenalee all the time-sorry Lenalee," he turned briefly to his girlfriend, then glared back at Kanda, "But you don't listen to _your_ boyfriend at all!"

"Why am I even involved in this?" Lavi said wryly from beside the fuming Kanda. He popped another fry into his mouth.

"That's none of your business." Kanda hissed.

"I have no idea why I'm involved in this conversation either." Lenalee said with a bemused smile.

"It may not be my business, but you shouldn't be such a _hypocrite_, Bakanda!"

Kanda slammed a hand on the table, startling the occupants of the tables nearby. "I _dare _you to say that again!"

"Oh? You didn't hear? I guess I forgot how slow your brain was!" Allen said casually.

"Moyashi…" Kanda growled lowly. "It seems you've _finally _taken up on my offer to cut that white hair of yours and sell it to some old geezers!"

"Why don't I slice that hair of yours instead?" Allen smirked. He sighed, waving a hand offhandedly. "I mean, only _girls_ keep long hair and you're _not_ a girl, right? You don't act like a girl at all. Bakanda." He said. "When are you going for that sex change? Want me to be there to hold your hand?" He offered with a deceptively sweet smile.

"I think that's your way of asking me to slice off that old geezer hair with _Mugen_-"

"Okay guys guys, that's enough," Lavi intervened before things could get ugly. He slung an arm around Kanda's shoulders. _Why_ was _he_ always the peacemaker? He shared a glance with Lenalee who was sitting opposite him. They had such a strange, destructive friendship…not like the peaceful and nice friendship he had with Lenalee. "Stop arguing and eat your food before it gets cold, okay?"

"That's right!" Lenalee nodded, "Allen, you have so much to eat and you've barely started!"

"Yeah," Lavi said, grimacing, "Are you _sure _you can finish that all?"

"Of course! I'm really hungry!" Allen glared at Kanda, "Bakanda had to interrupt my meal!"

"Excuse me? You're the one who refused to admit his _defeat-_"

"GUYS!" Lavi said loudly. He grimaced as he took in the people looking at them. Every detail. Right down to the stiches in their clothes and creases in their faces. "You're attracting attention! Settle down, okay? Geez, you guys are in such high tension today – and not in a good way!"

"Moyashi is already attracting attention with the amount of food he has on his table." Kanda grumbled. "Glutton."

"At least I don't look like I'm anor-mph!"

"Really!" Lenalee frowned at Allen, who blinked at her, a burger shoved into his mouth by none other than his exasperated girlfriend. "You two just never stop, do you?"

"We could be here until midnight at this rate." Lavi said dryly. He waved a fry which he held between his thumb and index finger. "It's open 24-7 after all."

Kanda grimaced as Lavi waved the fry near her face. "Get that thing away from me." She hissed.

"Sorry, sorry," Lavi said and quickly put the fry into his mouth. He didn't want to have his finger bitten off by those sharp teeth. "But seriously Yuu, if you don't stop arguing with Allen I'll kiss you." He said casually. "Right here, right now. In front of all these people staring so nicely at us."

"…You wouldn't dare."

Lavi smiled and winked one green eye. "Just try me, Yuu-chan."

Allen snickered as Kanda grimaced and Lenalee rolled her eyes and hit him. "Ow!" He pouted. "Lenaleeee!"

"Honestly…" Lenalee shook her head in exasperation. But she smiled as Allen pouted, "Do you two _always _have to argue?"

"Bakanda started it." Allen mumbled sullenly, not happy Kanda had caused his girlfriend to hit him. Stupid Kanda.

Luckily, Kanda was too occupied by the prospect of kissing Lavi in front of everyone else to hear Allen's comment. "Fine, I won't argue with…moyashi." The black haired Japanese said. "So get your hands off me."

"So cold." Lavi sighed and brought his arm away. He took another fry, "I think these are pretty good today." He said. "They're crispy and delicious. They changed cooks or something?"

Kanda huffed and drank from her cup of coke as Lenalee smiled. "They do taste better." She said. She glanced at Kanda and Allen who were stubbornly looking away from each other and fuming, then leaned towards Lavi. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked who won…I should have known better." She apologized. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Lavi said lowly with a smile, but his green eye was slightly duller. "I'm fine. I'm used to it."

Sometimes he couldn't help but think Kanda would rather be with Allen. She paid attention to him anyway. Attention that she didn't pay him. Just who was her boyfriend here?

Lavi mentally thanked God (not that he believed in his existence for he considered himself as an atheist) for Lenalee's existence. Not only was she able to occupy Allen and calm him down, she was such a good friend to him. She understood how he felt without him having to voice it.

He lowered his voice, "_Why_ do they always have to argue?"

"I don't know. I asked Allen but he just said, "Because it's Bakanda!" Maybe they're enemies in an alternate universe or something?" Lenalee said. "Maybe their animosity is so great it's being transferred across from another universe?" She joked.

"Haha, maybe. " Lavi grinned. "And I asked Yuu and she said, "That moyashi pisses me off." I bet my other self has to break up their arguments too. Poor guy."

"I know. I pity my other self too. She probably has to slam their heads together to stop them from fighting with each other!"

"Ahaha. Hey, that's a good idea! You should do that Lenalee, if it's you, Yuu won't kill you."

"She'll ignore me though!"

"Ah yeah, I know how that feels."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Lavi." Lenalee said. She leaned back, then picked up a chicken nugget and bit into it. Allen had stopped pouting and was now consuming burger after burger, though Lavi noticed he was less messy than usual and there weren't the customary lettuce littered all over the table. Perhaps he had actually taken Kanda's comment to heart?

"Yeah." Lavi said. He had long finished his burger, and reached out for another of his fries. To his surprise, his fingers touched with another's. "Yuu?"

"Give me some." Kanda said and took the fry Lavi had been about to take.

"O-kay…" Lavi blinked. He watched as Kanda bit into the fry delicately. "Uh, why didn't you order your own food?"

"I wasn't hungry. And I don't like fast food."

"Then why are you eating mine?"

"I'm hungry now."

"There's no queue. Why don't you go order now?" Lavi said, jerking his thumb with a smile. Allen had ordered twenty pieces of chicken nuggets, several burgers and two boxes of McWings and coke, upsized. Lavi marvelled at his appetite. And his metabolism rate. "Fast food isn't bad if you don't eat it that often. And Allen is still eating and he's not gonna finish anytime soon."

"It's fine." Kanda said, reaching out to take another fry.

"Alright." Lavi said. Maybe Yuu didn't have money but didn't want to say it because of pride. Even though her guardian was rich. Maybe. Who knew the workings of Kanda Yuu's mind?

As Kanda munched on the second stolen fry, Lavi picked up the box and put it on her tray. "Here." He said, as Kanda blinked in surprise. "You can have it all."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"…Thanks." Kanda mumbled almost inaudibly.

Lavi smiled. He turned and picked up his ice lemon tea.

There was a short, peaceful silence in which Allen sought to shove all the food on his tray into his mouth, Lenalee ate her chicken nuggets in peace, Lavi sipped contentedly on his ice lemon tea and Kanda ate the fries from Lavi almost carefully.

But unfortunately, peace could never last long with the four friends.

"U-Um!"

Lavi, Lenalee and Allen turned to look at the girl who was standing beside Kanda. She had blonde hair, and she was blushing, fidgeting almost nervously.

"My name is Amy and I couldn't help but notice you…" the girl spoke quickly. "And-And I think you're really handsome and cool and- will you be my BOYFRIEND?!"

Lavi blinked. He pointed to himself, "Me?" He asked. He then pointed to Allen. "Or him?" He said, noticing Lenalee narrowing her eyes. "'Cause we're both taken, you know."

"Eh?" The girl named Amy seemed surprised as Lavi took a sip of his drink. She blushed again. "No, not you or him…I was talking about him!"

She pointed to Kanda and Lavi choked on his drink. "What?!" He gasped. Did they really not act like a couple so much that both girls and guys couldn't believe they were together? "_Him?!"_

Kanda blinked, and looked up at the girl with narrowed eyes. "You talking to me?"

"Yes!"

"Wait, wait! Time out!" Lavi spread his arms and everyone looked at him. He wrapped an arm around Kanda. The girl was pretty but Lavi didn't care for pretty girls when they were hitting on _his_ girl. "Pretty girl-OW! What was that for, Yuu-chan?!"

Kanda ignored him. "Girl." Black eyes glared, "I refuse."

"Um, Miss," Allen said, raising an eyebrow. "Kanda's a girl. Though I have no problem if you swing that way. But Kanda already has a boyfriend."

"W-What?!" The girl was as red as a tomato, her blue eyes wide, "H-He's a girl?!"

"Yeah? She has long hair, you know?"

"I know! And he looks so handsome with it! But I thought it was because he was Japanese! Japanese anime guys have long hair too! I mean, he looks Japanese…"

"Kanda is Japanese, yes." Lenalee said patiently. "But she's a girl. And more importantly, with a boyfriend." She pointed decidedly to Lavi.

"B-Boyfriend…?" The girl sounded faint. "Then-"

"That's right!" Lavi declared, feeling annoyed. Damn it, why was everyone always hitting on his Yuu-chan? Did they have to hold hands or something to show they were together? "Yuu is my girl-w-wah! Why are you looking at me like that, Yuu-chan?! It's _true_, isn't it?!"

"My name is Kanda." Kanda said lowly to the girl, as if mocking her earlier introduction of herself and completely ignoring Lavi, "And I'm taken. Unfortunately. By a stupid rabbit. Go find someone else. Or nobody at all. I don't care."

With those words, Kanda returned to eating Lavi's french fries as Lavi stared, his cheeks pink "Yuu…" he said.

"I-I'm sorry!" The girl cried out and ran away, leaving Allen and Lenalee staring at her for Lavi was still staring at Kanda.

"You didn't have to be so cold, Kanda." Lenalee said. "I think she was crying."

"Tch."

"Still, she really thought you were a guy," Allen said, blinking. "Not that I blame her. After all, you don't even have bre-mpf!"

"Finish your food, Allen." Lenalee said sternly and Allen seemed to pout but munched on the chicken nugget in his mouth anyway.

Lavi smiled, watching Kanda, who turned to look at him. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing." Lavi said cheerfully. "Nothing at all, Yuu."

"…Then stop staring. It's annoying."

"Right, right." Lavi turned away from Kanda and sipped his drink, smiling to himself at the warmness in his heart.

* * *

"Lavi?"

"Yeah?"

"Lenalee and I are leaving now, okay?" Allen smiled, "It's getting late."

"Ah yeah." Lavi raised his hand, smiling back, "Bye Allen, Lenalee!"

"Bye, Lavi!" Lenalee waved, "You're waiting for Kanda, right?"

"Yeah."

"See you tomorrow then!"

Lavi leaned against the wall near the restrooms and watched Allen and Lenalee leave, holding hands and sharing small smiles with each other. He smiled as he watched them. They really were a cute couple. They deserved each other. They looked perfect together – there wasn't much height difference between them and they stood in the way that indicated they had been close friends before they got together, that they were comfortable with each other. There was no awkwardness between them at all.

He thought about his own girlfriend. Kanda was tall. Taller than Allen. Lavi had found himself wishing she were shorter. Of course, he would never tell her that. Kanda would think he was belittling her or seeing her as just another girl. When it was quite the opposite really. _He_ was the one who felt inferior that she was so tall, even when compared to him. It was a good thing Kanda didn't wear high heels, or she would possibly be taller than him.

For if there was one thing Lavi could be proud of besides his memory, it was his height. He stood at a good six feet one inch, which was pretty tall. Kanda was almost six feet. 180 centimetres to be exact. And he wasn't stereotyping, but that was pretty tall for a girl. For a female. For females stopped growing at an earlier stage than males, according to page 207 of his Biology textbook. The one he had used in his previous school.

…Maybe Kanda was secretly male?

Lavi felt like hitting himself, _"No no, Yuu-chan's a girl."_ He told himself firmly. _"And, if Yuu-chan were a guy, I'm not sure how I'll feel. Not that I wouldn't like him, I'm bisexual after all. And even if I weren't I'm sure I'll still like Yuu anyway. But as a guy, Yuu would probably be a better guy than me…the kind of guy that girls like Lenalee admire. Though she's kind of already like that. But most importantly, as a guy Yuu might be taller than me!" _The redhead shook his head furiously at the thought, _"Guy or girl, height is the one thing I have over Yuu!"_

"And!" Lavi said, not noticing the weird stares the few people who were there were sending at him. He clenched his fist, "If Yuu were a guy, he'd be a really pretty guy. A pretty boy. I'll have to protect him from _both_ girls – like that girl _and_ guys who want to steal away my Yuu-chan!"

"Who the hell do you have to protect, Junior?"

Lavi jumped. Literally. "Yuu!" He exclaimed, his green eye wide, "I-I didn't see you there! When did you come back? Eh, and it's Lavi!"

"A while ago." Kanda said, narrowing black eyes. "And it's Kanda."

"But you're my-"

"You're not going to use that girlfriend crap again, are you?"

"-Best friend!" Lavi said almost indignantly. "We started out as best friends first, Yuu! And it's not crap!"

Kanda scoffed and walked away. Lavi wished he could be the one to walk away. But he could never walk away from Kanda Yuu, so he followed his best friend.

"Yuu-chan!"

"What is it? And don't call me that!"

"But it's cute…" Lavi pouted. Kanda glared at him and he sighed, speaking in a more serious tone. "Yuu."

"What?"

"What do you think of me?"

"Huh?"

"We've spent so much time together." Lavi said, his one green eye serious. "We've known each other for years. Don't you have any impression of me?"

Kanda blinked. "Not really."

"…Eh?! Wait!" Lavi chased after Kanda, shouting, "What does that mean?! How can you have no impression of me?! Yuu!"

"Shut up, you're so noisy." Kanda muttered. "I just don't, okay?"

"…Really?"

Kanda blinked, then frowned. The black haired beauty turned. "Junior?"

Lavi was silent, his head lowered. Kanda walked back to the redhead. "Lavi."

"Do you really not care for me?"

"What?"

Lavi felt a sudden anger rise in him. He looked up with his one good eye. He wanted to do something-something rash. He didn't want to punch Kanda- not because she was a girl but because he never wanted to hurt Yuu, but he wanted to be the one to be able to do something for once and leave the other trying to fix the situation. Why was it always Yuu who was pissed at him? Why couldn't he be the one pissed off? He had every fucking right to be! His-best friend- the one he was _dating_ was ignoring him and not taking him seriously, why the hell-

"Lavi-"

Lavi lunged towards Kanda, his fist clenched. He saw black eyes widen, then close as if in defeat, before they shot open in surprise as Lavi wrapped his arms around Kanda, bringing her close to him.

"L-Lavi?! What are you-"

"Don't." Lavi said in a low voice. He had interlocked his fingers behind Kanda's back. "Yuu. I have my limits too. I don't want to hurt you."

"Like you could hurt me." Kanda said, but stilled in Lavi's arms.

Lavi inhaled to calm himself down. Kanda's silky ponytail brushed against his face, and he breathed in the scent. "Yuu." He said quietly. "I really like you. I…may even love you." He said. "I can't say for sure, since love doesn't have theories which I can memorise and commit to memory. But this feeling…I feel like it can only be love."

"Are you not letting me go just to tell me that?" Kanda said almost coldly. "One of your cheesy fancies?"

"It's not a fancy, Yuu." Lavi tightened his grip considerably. He knew Kanda could take it. "I'm serious. I love you, Yuu. _Aishiteru_, _Yuu_."

"…Don't use my mother tongue on me." Kanda said quietly, but in a low voice. "Not with that tongue of yours, Junior."

"Yeah. I know it's unfair. I almost sound like a real Japanese, huh?" Lavi said in amusement. He felt Kanda begin to push against him, and he narrowed his green eye, and held onto her wrists, pulling back to look the dark haired Japanese in the eye. "But I'm tired of playing fair, Yuu."

"You were never playing fair."

Lavi smiled wryly. "Maybe." He said. "Maybe I forced my feelings on you." Kanda's steady gaze didn't break away from his. "But," his grip slackened. "I don't know what to do. I thought we'd progressed, but it seems we haven't. So I'm going to start again from square one." He nodded. "I'm going to date you, Yuu."

"…We're already on a date." Kanda deadpanned.

Lavi smiled to hear that. "I know." He said. "But this time it'll be different. I'm going to win you over. I'm going to court you." He said, and Kanda glared. "Yeah. No, not because you're a girl." Kanda blinked. "Because you're Yuu, and I love you and I'll give you the respect you deserve. If you were a guy, I would do the same. I would still court you and win you over."

"And? What makes you think you can do that?"

"I don't know." Lavi said. But he was still smiling. "But I won't know until I try, will I? Girl or guy, Yuu would never take the initiative in our relationship," he said with an almost sad smile. "Because you don't love me as much as I love you. Or you don't love me at all."

Kanda was silent, and Lavi pushed down the pain in his heart. "I'm sorry Yuu, but I can't be just your best friend anymore." He said softly. "I love you too much. I need you, Yuu."

"Don't lie." Kanda said equally softly. "You have never needed anyone, Junior." _And neither have I_

"Maybe. But I seem to need someone now." Lavi smiled. "Someone who doesn't need me as much as I need them."

"So I'll wait. I'll wait for you, Yuu."

"You might have to wait for a very long time."

"I'll wait anyway." Lavi smiled, looking at Kanda. He wrapped his arms around his love. "We have all the time in the world, Yuu. In this life."

"This life." Kanda murmured.

"This life. In these peaceful times." Lavi said, smiling softly. "No danger, no war, no -ugh!"

"L-Lavi!" Kanda said as Lavi winced and shot back, clutching his head. "What happened?!"

"N-Nothing, Yuu…just, my head hurts," Lavi grimaced. "Think…I stayed up reading too late and it's lack of sleep." He joked.

"I see."

"Yeah. I'm fine really." Lavi grinned, "Were you worried?"

"Don't be an idiot."

Lavi bit his tongue and resisted the urge to say something like, _"But I'm your idiot." _For it was cheesy and Kanda Yuu didn't like cheesy things. She probably hated them.

"Anyway," Lavi said, smiling at Kanda who shifted her gaze to him, "I guess I'll be going now. I have to make up plans on how to court Yuu." He winked, "I guess I'm gonna be up all night!"

"…Don't sleep too late." Kanda said. "We have school tomorrow."

"Oh yeah. Damn I almost forgot." Lavi frowned. "Gotta take a taxi then. Your Dad's coming to pick you up right?"

"He insisted." Kanda grumbled, crossing her arms. "He pestered me on where I was going and who I was going with and when I told him I was going on a _date_, he made a fuss and said he would pick me up so he could see who my boyfriend was." The swordsman scoffed. "So annoying!"

"Ah, I see…" Lavi said, trying to stop himself from blushing at being acknowledged as Yuu's boyfriend. It didn't work. At all. Damn his bloodstream.

Kanda looked at him and Lavi cleared his throat, resisting the urge to do something stupid like hug Kanda. Because Yuu looked really cute when she was annoyed like that. Cute enough to hug. Even though you didn't hug Kanda Yuu unless you had a death wish – even her fans knew that. "Well, bye then, Yuu! Oh wait, you don't want me to stay 'cause your Dad wants to see me, do you?"

"No." Kanda said firmly. "He can deal without seeing you. Unless you want to play Twenty Questions with him. Or a Hundred. "

"Nah, I'll pass this time," Lavi said easily. He hadn't really seen Yuu's father before, but he hoped the man wasn't one of those scary, protective over their daughter types. He might have a problem in the future if he was since he was going to court his daughter. "Take care! See you tomorrow, Yuu!"

"See you."

Kanda watched as Lavi left, waving to her with a bright smile on his face. When she was sure he was gone, the swordsman brought a hand up to her chest, feeling the bandages beneath her buttoned down shirt as she thought about Lavi's words and the undeniable honesty that had been in his green eye.

"Am I…really doing the right thing?"


	5. Chapter 4

"Lavi…Lavi!"

"Eh…Allen?" Lavi yawned. "Yo. What's up?"

"You alright?" Allen asked in concern, leaning forward to look at his friend. "You look like a walking zombie."

"Yeahhh…" Lavi smiled sleepily. "Just…didn't get much sleep last night." He yawned again.

"At this rate you're gonna fall asleep in class." Allen said dryly. "But I suppose that doesn't matter to you, does it?"

"Hmmm…"

"Are you _really_ alright?" Allen asked cautiously, looking at Lavi who was very unsteady on his feet. "You're…_swaying._"

"Fine, fine. Ahahaha…" Lavi yawned again, his shoulders slumping as he looked forward with a dazed green eye. "Damn…I must be more tired than I thought…" he said. "Good thing Gramps isn't back or I'd have been kicked out of bed."

"What were you doing last night?"

"Yuu…"

"Eh, Kanda?" Allen blinked. "You were doing Kanda?"

Lavi choked, and for the first time, looked awake, "No!" He shouted, red on his cheeks. "I was doing plans for Yuu!"

"Plans?"

"Yeah…you know, to woo Yuu…"

"Uh," Allen blinked again, looking at Lavi disbelievingly. "Kanda can be wooed?"

Lavi punched his shoulder lightly with the little energy he had. "Shut up, Moyashi-chan." He said half heartedly.

"I'm not a beansprout!" Allen said automatically. He sighed, then looked at Lavi. "You sure you're gonna be okay? You look like you're gonna collapse at any moment."

"M'n not weak…" Lavi mumbled, releasing a yawn again. He blinked as he saw red in front of him. "Hey Allen, my hair's touching my eye and it kinda stings…help me move my headband will ya?"

"I would, but you don't have your headband on today." Allen said wryly. "I think it's the first time I've seen you without it."

"Ah, really? Aw, man…am I that out of sorts?" Lavi seemed a little more awake now, his green eye slightly wider, as he reached up to his messy orange-red hair. "I've never forgotten it before…"

"You look better without it. The girls are staring at you." Allen pointed out, looking at the girls whispering around him. He frowned. "You _really_ need to cut your hair though."

"Yeah, yeah…" Lavi waved off. "Let them stare…"

"Oh yeaaah….where's Lenalee, by the way?"

"With her brother," Allen said dryly. "He freaked out when he saw me with her and she had to stay to calm him down. She said she'll catch up with us later."

"Komui, huh? Him and his sister complex…"

"Tell me about it." Allen snorted and Lavi smiled.

"Wonder if Yuuuu's already arrived…" the redhead mumbled sleepily. "If not I could take a quick nap?" He pondered.

"Does Kanda's presence prevent you from sleeping?" Allen said wryly. "Must be her murderous aura, huh?"

"Ahahaha. Not really, but it's not exactly a good image, you know?"

"…Well, Lenalee doesn't mind if I'm sleepy." Allen blinked at Lavi. "She thinks it's cute. She says I look peaceful when I sleep."

"You're lucky, Allen. Yuu calls me lazy when I sleep…" Lavi smiled wryly. "She says I sleep too much and it's not even winter."

"Winter?"

"Yeaahh…apparently it's Yuu's version of a joke, since rabbits hibernate in winter."

"Why does Kanda call you a rabbit anyway?" Allen said, looking at Lavi and wondering which aspect of him resembled a rabbit. He didn't see any.

Lavi shrugged. "Beats me." He said. "But I'd tell Yuu rabbits don't hibernate in winter, they only conserve energy." He said. "And Yuu would say I have too much energy 'cause I'm always hyper and hopping around and if I didn't use so much energy I wouldn't need to conserve energy." He blinked. "Maybe that's why I'm a rabbit?"

"Maybe." Allen said. "Though you look more like a zombie than a rabbit now…"

"That's meaaaan, Alleeeen…" Lavi dragged out, and Allen yelped as Lavi dropped his head to rest on Allen's shoulder.

"Lavi!"

"Just let me rest awhileee…" Lavi mumbled. "Ah, if only I could sleep against Yuu's shoulder…that'd be like a dream come true…"

"That's your idea of a dream?" Allen said in amusement, moving forward as Lavi dragged himself behind him. "Lenalee lets me use her shoulder as a pillow anytime."

"Shut up, you lucky bastard."

Allen laughed as Lavi pouted. He looked up at the whirring of a car's wheels as Lavi said, "Yuu's here, isn't she?"

"How did you know?" Allen asked in surprise, partly because of Lavi's words and partly because Lenalee was in the car.

"I recognize the sound of her car."

"…You really are obsessed, aren't you?" Allen said in bemusement. He sighed, waving a hand. "But yeah yeah, your Goddess is here."

"Yeahhh…" Lavi straightened, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "Allen, does my Lowly Mortal Being look presentable?"

"Not at all." Allen said bluntly.

"Aw, damn it."

Allen sighed and reached out to brush down the obvious creases in Lavi's shirt, and took hold of the end, straightening it so that it covered his pants instead of hanging off awkwardly. He patted the taller boy's shoulders, and said, "There. You look less like you just got out of bed."

"Right." Lavi said, who had his hands on his hair, trying to arrange it somehow into a less messier style. "Fuck this. Stupid hair." He gave up and just pushed the reddish-orange locks back as far as he could. "Hey, Allen. Remind me never to forget my headband again."

"Or to cut your hair." Allen suggested.

Lavi chuckled. "You'll never give up on that, will you?" He said, amused.

"Nope. It's time you changed your hairstyle, Lavi." Allen sighed. "Seriously, I can't remember if your hair is supposed to be red or orange. Because it's so thick that it looks red! Wasn't it orange before?"

"Whatever you say, beansprout." Lavi said. He tugged on a lock of hair, blinking his green eye. "It's…reddish-orange?"

"I'm not a beansprout!"

"Allen!"

Allen blinked, then turned around and smiled. "Lenalee!"

Lenalee smiled. She had on a simple white blouse with a pretty purple ribbon that Allen thought matched the pretty violet of her eyes, and a royal blue skirt. Her schoolbag was slung over her shoulder and her hair was in her usual pigtails as she smiled at him. Allen noticed the ribbons were yellow today. "Sorry for just now!" She sighed. "My brother's always like that!" She smiled. "I'm lucky Kanda passed by!"

"Ah it's okay." Allen reassured her.

Lenalee blinked, then leaned to the side. "Is that Lavi?" She asked in surprise. "He looks different today."

"Yo, Lenalee." Lavi smiled, raising a hand. His dark green shirt was now only slightly crumpled. "Morning. And yeah, I forgot my headband." He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"That's the first time." Kanda said, whose black hair was in the customary ponytail tied by a dark blue hairband and who was wearing a black collared shirt and navy blue cargo pants with a silver belt, looking nowhere as feminine as Lenalee.

Allen looked at Kanda, then leaned in close to Lavi and whispered, "Your girlfriend dresses better than you." He said, looking at Lavi's green shirt with buttons and white pants. He hadn't even bothered to put on a belt. Allen sighed, extending a hand. He was wearing a black shirt like Kanda, but the black was shades darker and the collars were turned up. It was a warm day and Allen had forgone his usual jacket lined with fur, but his grey pants had his usual skull belt, the metal of the grinning skullface gleaming in the sunlight. Silver chains dangled from his pants. His hair was spiky as usual, the spikes sticking out at the back of his head. Coupled with his casual but cool clothes, the white haired boy's image was that of a bad boy. "Really Lavi…want me to give you some fashion tips?"

"Shut up." Lavi muttered to Allen as he looked at Kanda. He lowered his voice. "Even though you two are so different, your clothes are ironically similar."

"What- how am I similar to Kanda?!" Allen exclaimed, frantically looking himself all over.

"You're both wearing black shirts and silver belts." Lenalee pointed out cheerfully.

"Tch!" Kanda somehow managed to make the derisive sound into a surprised one.

"Bakanda's a copycat." Allen snorted.

"You picking a fight, Moyashi?"

"Now now," Lenalee said as Kanda glared at Allen and Allen glared at Kanda. She sighed. "How can either of you copy each other? It's not as if you knew what the other was going to wear today!"

"Yeah, it's just a coincidence." Lavi supplied.

"That's true." Allen admitted, but he was still glaring at Kanda.

Now that Kanda had arrived, Lavi was a little more awake. And aware of the whispers surrounding them in the school compound.

"Look, look! It's Kanda-kun!"

"Wow…he looks especially dashing today, doesn't he?"

"He's with the usual group though…that girl with the pigtails and that boy with the eyepatch. And Allen-kun."

"I heard they were childhood friends!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah! My friend was at their previous school and she said Allen-kun arrived as a transfer student. Even when he had to wear a uniform, he made quite the reputation for himself!"

"I heard Allen-kun's dating Lenalee!"

"No way!"

"The most popular boy dating the most popular girl?"

"I thought Kanda-kun was the most popular boy!"

"Well…there're rumors that he's a girl…"

"What?!"

"They're only rumors! Don't listen to them!"

"But- But he's like the hottest guy I've ever seen! And he's Japanese!"

"That can't be! My friend said Kanda wore a guy's uniform at his previous school! He's _definitely_ a guy!"

"Anyway Lenalee arrived in Kanda-kun's car today! You think they're dating?!"

"They always were pretty close. Heard they were childhood friends."

"Impossible! Isn't Lenalee-chan already Allen-kun's girlfriend?!"

"Maybe it's a love triangle!"

"Is that why Kanda-kun and Allen-kun fight all the time?!"

"But that's unfair! Why does she get two of the hottest guys?!"

"Ahhh…Lenalee-chan's looking really pretty today, isn't she?"

"Yeah…I heard she's dating Walker though!"

"Argh, that guy? The one the girls are all crazy about 'cause he's a bad boy? Besides Kanda, that is."

"Bad boy? You talkin' 'bout Kanda or Walker?"

"Walker."

"You sure? 'Cause Kanda looks pretty badass to me. I heard he's got a fucking sword."

"He's Kendo Captain- what'd you expect?"

"No man, I meant a _real_ sword."

"You're kiddin' me."

"He's pretty though."

"Oi, oi, you gay or something?"

"What? No, I meant pretty like a girl. He sounds like a guy but he looks like a girl."

"…His face is feminine. Maybe he is a girl."

"Yeah right. In your dreams, dude."

"Even if Kanda were a girl, I'd prefer Lenalee. She's really pretty…"

"She's taken, man. By Walker. She's _way_ out of your league."

"Oi, Lavi!"

"Huh?" Lavi blinked, looking at black eyes. "Yuu?"

"What are you spacing out for?"

"Eh? Nothing…" Lavi lied, rubbing his eye. "Just…I'm a bit sleepy."

Kanda looked at him, then glanced around. She scoffed. "Noisy idiots."

"It comes with being popular." Allen rolled his eyes. "It's your fault for being so popular, Bakanda."

"I didn't _ask_ to be popular." Kanda snorted. "I could care less about them."

Lavi was silent. The whispers had been varied and surrounding them on all sides, but his memory had forced him to take them in, take their words in. He remembered every word and every sentence, even though he didn't want to.

Kanda could care less about them but they were there. For Kanda was gorgeous (even _Allen_ had admitted it) and talented and popular, not like him. And she was 'available', at least in school, because Kanda didn't want their relationship to be known. She was the cold and untouchable pretty boy she looked like in school after all. He'd almost forgotten, having had Kanda to himself (or as much as Kanda allowed him to) for the month that was their holiday from school.

Everyone knew that despite being the most popular guy in school, (next to Allen Walker, who was already taken by Lenalee Lee, or so the rumors said,), Yuu Kanda dated no one. With no exceptions.

In school, Kanda Yuu wasn't his girlfriend.

Yeah, if word got out that Yuu Kanda – the Yuu Kanda whom both girls and guys admired, was _dating_ Lavi Junior, practically a nobody in the social hierarchy except for being labelled as a nerd and a star student (by the teachers), Kanda's reputation would be ruined. And it would be his fault.

Lavi knew Kanda cared about reputation and pride more than anything else, probably more than him.

Lavi looked at himself, and thought he preferred uniforms. In his previous school, where everyone wore uniforms, he was dressed the same as everyone else but drew attention because of his red hair. Girls liked him because of his hair and because he was smart. Guys thought he was cool. And he liked girls and guys, but he liked Kanda Yuu more. And he would flirt with girls, but not with Kanda, because Yuu was not someone to flirt with, Kanda was someone to slowly reveal his affections to, to confess his feelings for.

Of course, girls were crazy over Kanda as well and guys admired him, since Kanda wore the guys' uniform and no one was really sure whether he really was a girl. He'd heard girls say they made the perfect best friends, even though they were always around Lenalee, and were suspected to like her romantically (he teased her on her popularity by calling her "Princess", and Kanda would sometimes address her as "My Princess", as if he was a Knight speaking to his Princess) until Allen came. Lenalee had been popular as well with her sweet smile and pretty hair and kind nature, nicknamed 'Princess' by her classmates and the people who knew her. And when Allen Walker, the 'Bad Boy', arrived, with his spiky hair and fur lined jacket and silver-grey eyes and smug smirk which previously only the cool and cold guy Kanda Yuu, who didn't dress as a Knight for Halloween, (to the disappointment of the female population, but they quickly got over it once they saw that Kanda Yuu was dressed as a Vampire, fangs and all), had, and was Lenalee Lee's 'Prince' at Halloween with a cape and crown and charming smile and less unruly but still spiky white hair, and had kissed her hand gently, there was no doubt in anyone's mind, guy or girl, that Allen Walker and Lenalee Lee were the school's newest and most popular couple, _after_ the tears were shed of course. By both the guys and the girls.

Romance, rumors, popularity and fame were the stuff of the teenage world. Even though they could be considered as young adults now, such things would persist. Lavi was dully reminded of a certain parody song, _High School Never Ends_, which would describe the atmosphere quite suitably. People were more interested in who the captain or leader of each club was and who they were dating than they were interested in who scored the top for each subject.

School. Why was he even here?

"By the way, who's that eyepatch guy?"

"Him? He's Lavi. He's Kanda-kun's friend. They're quite close."

"I've never seen him before. Which club is he in?"

"Library."

"What? That's so boring!"

"He's really good at his studies you know."

"A nerd?"

"He doesn't fit the image of a nerd though. He has red hair!"

"Wait. You mean – Junior? The guy always wearing that headband?"

"Yea, that one."

"Lavi." That voice rose out of the rest. "We're going."

Lavi blinked as Kanda grabbed his wrist and dragged him away. "Yuu?" He asked in surprise.

"We'll see you later!" Lenalee said, waving with a smile. She turned to Allen. "Allen, let's go."

Allen blinked. He looked away from Lavi and Kanda then smiled at Lenalee. "Yeah."

"You didn't sleep, did you?"

"I-I did," Lavi said, staring at Kanda's hand on his wrist, so surprised that the whispers around him seemed to be fading away. "Why?"

"We have a test in first period."

"What? Really?"

Kanda turned, raising an elegant eyebrow at him. "You forgot?"

"Kinda." Lavi said. Maybe he had slacked too much during the holiday. Damn it. He scratched his messy red hair which reached past his neck. "Eh, what is it about again?" He really needed to sleep.

"Biology. The last few chapters before we went on break."

"Oh. Oh that." Lavi smiled. "It's fine. I've already read them."

"And you remember?"

"Yeah."

"…Tch. How can you remember chapters but not the fact that we have a test on them?" Lavi blinked as Kanda stopped and looked at him. "Hey. Turn around."

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

"Okay." Lavi turned around. He blinked when he felt Kanda take hold of his hair. "Yuu?"

"Shut up and keep still."

Hands, smooth hands touched his messy hair in a gentleness and carefulness he had not expected. Lavi stared in surprise, resisting the urge to turn around as Kanda's hands (were they really Kanda's hands?) wove through his thick hair, gathering the messy strands together into a neater ponytail. At least, he thought it was a ponytail. He felt the rubber band snap onto his hair, then Kanda said. "That's better."

Lavi took that as the cue to turn around. Kanda was in front of him, her hair no longer in a ponytail but down, the flowing black strands cascading gracefully over her strong back and slender shoulders. Lavi stared, and reached his hand to the back of his head, running his fingers along the short ponytail of red hair Kanda had tied for him. "Yuu…" he murmured, his cheeks warm.

"They're so noisy." Kanda said in annoyance as other students stared and whispered and gasped. She turned, black hair sweeping out behind her like a velvet curtain. "Let's go."

"Are you sure it's alright, Yuu-chan?" Lavi asked as he followed his girlfriend, green eye fixed on her long, beautiful hair. "You…look even prettier with your hair down."

_You look more like a girl_. The words were unsaid, but Kanda seemed to hear them anyway. Not pausing in her stride, she looked at him.

"It's fine."

Lavi blinked, then smiled. Maybe it was a good thing he had forgotten his headband today.

Feeling much more awake than before, he increased his pace until he was walking beside Kanda. He ran his fingers through his ponytail of red hair one more time, memorizing the feeling, then lowered his hand and slid it into his pocket as he walked alongside his best friend.

"Thanks…Yuu."

* * *

Kanda was bored. The teacher was rambling on about the workings of the brain, and Kanda couldn't care less how it worked as long as it worked. He was talking about memory and how there were different types of memory. Declarative, procedural…Kanda yawned.

There were feminine whispers, and the teacher looked in Kanda's direction. Kanda looked down and pretended to write, brushing away her long hair which tickled her neck. The teacher looked, stared for a while, then looked away and continued his lecture.

Kanda looked at Lavi, and scoffed softly. The idiot had fallen asleep. He was using his book to cover his face. And he was snoring. Loudly. He must really be tired.

"In the area of neuropsychology, there are also extraordinary types of memory, termed as exceptional memory, such as hyperthymesia and photographic or eidetic memory. These types of memories are possessed by certain gifted individuals and-Junior, are you _sleeping?"_

Kanda supposed the teacher had a right to be surprised. Lavi didn't fall asleep in class often. He was one of the few who seemed to be paying real attention to the lectures. Or if Lavi fell asleep in class, he would do it discreetly, like he would rest when he was bored because he probably already knew what the teacher was teaching.

Kanda didn't know how an idiot could be so smart.

The teacher was walking towards Lavi's desk. Kanda sighed, then said loudly, "Lavi."

Lavi didn't respond. Kanda frowned as whispers sounded again. The teacher had reached Lavi's desk. "Junior!" He said.

Lavi remained asleep. Losing his patience, the teacher slammed a hand on Lavi's table, and the redhead jolted, before his green eye opened slowly. "Wha…?"

"What was I saying?"

"Huh? Is this a school situation?" Lavi mumbled sleepily. He blinked. "Uh, I don't know?"

There were more whispers. And even Kanda couldn't help staring a little. Lavi was supposed to know everything. Well, almost everything. Because he loved to read. No one had heard the words, "I don't know," from him, in a lesson before.

Even the teacher looked surprised. He coughed, then said, "I was talking about exceptional memory." He said. "Junior, what do you think I was talking about?"

"Eidetic memory, commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a psychological or medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision. The word _eidetic_, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but especially of, visual images, comes from the Greek word _eidos_, "seen"." Lavi said and everyone stared. "While people with photographic memory will very precisely recall visual information, a person with eidetic memory is not limited to merely visual recall – theoretically they can recall other sensory information including auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory. Many discussions conflate eidetic memory with photographic memory, because the discussion tends to shift toward "eidetic imagery" which is the portion of eidetic memory that is visual in nature."

"One type of eidetic memory as observed in children is typified by the ability of an individual to study an image for approximately 30 seconds and maintain a nearly perfect photographic memory of that image for a short time once it has been removed—indeed such eidetickers claim to "see" the image on the blank canvas as vividly and in as perfect detail as if it were still there. Much like any other memory, the intensity of the recall may be subject to several factors such as duration and frequency of exposure to the stimulus, conscious observation, relevance to the person, etc. This fact stands in contrast-"

"T-That's enough." The teacher said, eyes wide. He looked at Lavi as if seeing him in a new light. "Junior, you…do _you_ have photographic memory?"

Lavi blinked. "Huh? Of course not." He said. "I was just reading the information from my phone." He held up his phone. "It was so interesting I couldn't help but remember it!" He smiled. "It's from Wikipedia, see?"

"Besides, if I had photographic memory, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

The class and the teacher stared at Lavi, until the teacher spoke. "That's true." He sounded almost disappointed. He looked at Lavi. "However, you are not allowed to use your phone in class without permission, even if it is for educational purposes." He lectured. "Next time I catch you using it, I will confiscate it. Do you hear me, Junior?"

"Loud and clear." Lavi smiled.

Kanda watched as the teacher walked away, and wondered why Lavi using his phone in class was disapproved of but his sleeping wasn't, as Lavi seemed to be falling back asleep, without his book to hide his face as it had fallen onto the table. But then Lavi blinked his eye open, and frowned. Kanda looked at Lavi as he turned his emerald gaze, and his frown was replaced with an almost relieved smile. Kanda realized Lavi was looking at her. But he didn't attempt to call out to her or even wave to her as he usually would as his green eye closed, and he fell back asleep.

Kanda had no idea why Lavi had to look at her before he could fall back asleep. And Lavi seemed to be genuinely asleep as he rested his head on the table, his ponytail of red hair touching the back of his shirt, his hand over his phone openly displayed on the table and a smile on his face. When had he had time to access the internet anyway?

The teacher had started his lecture again. Not wanting to look distracted and called out to answer a question, Kanda looked back down to the Japanese words scribbled on the paper, and realized they spelled out 'Stupid Rabbit' in Japanese.

Kanda blinked. Feeling warmth on her face, she snatched up an eraser and quickly erased the words, for Lavi would tease her endlessly if he ever saw them. Idiot rabbit understood Japanese. Both the speech and the writing language. He would say something stupid like "Yuu, you were thinking of me?" Even though she had told him _not_ to call her by her first name. Which he _never_ listened to and probably never would.

It was _his_ fault she was thinking of him anyway. Thinking of the words he had said. Stupid persistent rabbit. Saying such…genuine words when he didn't even know of the situation.

Kanda frowned and rubbed harder at the words. Satisfied when all traces of the words were gone, she put her eraser down and picked up her pencil, resisting the urge to glance at Lavi.

Lavi was more of a mystery than he seemed.


	6. Chapter 6

The school was buzzing by lunchtime.

Everywhere he walked, people were staring at him. Or more specifically, his hair. Or even more specifically, the rubber band holding his hair.

Lavi didn't see what the big deal was. It was just a rubber band. Oh wait, it was Yuu Kanda's rubber band which 'he' used to hold up 'his' hair.

Lavi could swear those girls were taking photos of him. He sighed.

And Kanda hadn't even arrived. Oh wait, there were gasps around him now.

There she was.

Or rather, he, since Kanda was known as a guy in school. He really had to remember that.

Lavi turned, and saw the black haired beauty (guy or girl, Kanda was beautiful), striding decisively. People were staring, he was staring, because if Kanda looked elegant with her-no, his hair up in the usual ponytail, he was breath-taking with his hair down. And more feminine. And was that really his girlfriend?

_"Guy. Yuu's a guy in school, a guy-"_

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing." Lavi smiled, turning his gaze to Kanda's eyes because her- his hair was highly distracting. Not that those pretty black eyes weren't. "Uh Yuu…you sure you're okay with your hair like that?"

"Yeah." Kanda said. He looked behind. "Why are there so many people?"

"Aren't they your fans?"

"Tch." Kanda said. The Japanese looked uncomfortable, so Lavi moved close and slung an arm around Kanda's shoulders. Black eyes blinked. "Lavi?"

"Don't be shy, Yuu. We're best friends, right?" Lavi said, keeping his gaze on those eyes so he would not be tempted to look at those lips.

"Come on, let's go buy your favourite soba before it gets crowded."

"Yeah." Kanda said, and they moved forward.

* * *

As Kanda ate her soba, Lavi looked at Kanda and wondered why she wanted to be a guy. For she was really pretty even as a guy, especially with her long hair loose from her ponytail, flowing down to her waist. And he was sure that with the right clothes and colors and assets, Kanda could be gorgeous enough to become a top female model.

But Kanda didn't seem to want to be a girl at all. Lavi wondered if it was because of the attention it would bring to her if she showed herself as a girl. But then again, Yuu Kanda was the most popular guy in school, next to Allen Walker. So it couldn't be the attention, could it? Or maybe she just didn't like the attention she would receive as a girl? Would people be more persistent if Yuu Kanda was known as a girl? Maybe the image of a cold, anti social guy kept potential suitors, female and male, away?

"Stop staring at me and eat your food."

"Sorry." Lavi said, and scooped up a spoon of rice, bringing it to his mouth.

The table was silent, save for the chatter around them. It was Monday, and Allen and Lenalee were still in class. And he could hear girls talking, so he played a song in his head to tune them out. He had more than enough girls' gossip stored inside his head.

"…You're unusually quiet today."

"Eh?" Lavi blinked at Kanda who was looking at him. "Ahahaha." He smiled. "Yuu is so pretty today you've rendered me speechless." He teased.

"I should let my hair down everyday then." Kanda smirked. "My life would be much more peaceful."

"Ah, I see."

"It was a joke." Kanda said, staring at him. Lavi blinked and Kanda frowned. "What's wrong with you?"

"Huh?"

"You're acting strange." Kanda raised an eyebrow. "You're usually more energetic."

"It's nothing, I'm just tired." Lavi paused the music in his head. Yeah, he was supposed to be Yuu Kanda's best friend, wasn't he? His energetic, hyper and laidback best friend, in contrast to the cold persona of the most popular guy in school. Always talking, even during lunchtime. "Hey Yuu?"

"Yeah?"

"After this, can we go to the rooftop?"

"…Alright."

* * *

The rooftop was a place Lavi and Kanda went to when they wanted to relax without any interruptions. Or rather, it was a place Kanda went to, to escape his fans, and Lavi followed. There was another place Kanda liked, the isolated area at the back of the school, but Kanda's fans had found him even there and they had to switch locations.

There was a ladder which led up to the rooftop which Lavi had found. Technically, they weren't supposed to be there at all, but Kanda didn't give a damn about the rules and Lavi liked the refreshing breeze. And being alone with Kanda.

It would have been romantic if the rooftop was their secret lovers' spot, but it wasn't. Well, it was secret, but it wasn't their lovers' spot. Because they were still in school and in school, Yuu Kanda and Lavi Junior were just friends.

Lavi climbed up the ladder after Kanda, who wasn't even wearing a skirt but cargo pants. Which still showed off that nice ass anyway. He mentally slapped himself for being a pervert, as they emerged into the open air.

Kanda walked forward, and Lavi followed. They were soon at the railings.

"It's nice here, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Lavi leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railings. "I like you, Yuu." He said.

"…Yeah."

"Did you think about what I said yesterday?"

"Of course." Kanda said. "It was the least I could do."

"And you aren't against it?"

"…This is fine." Kanda said, resting her chin on her hand as she stared out into the distance. "But if you've made up your mind, go ahead."

"I'm probably going to make a fool out of myself," Lavi said in bemusement, "But I'm going to do it anyway."

"We're just back at school and we're already being bombarded with tests and homework, so we probably won't have time this week. Gotta get back into the momentum and all." Lavi said. "As for Saturday-"

"I have to attend a stupid wedding dinner this Saturday." Kanda said in annoyance. "Since I'm his daughter, or so he says."

"Wedding dinner? Are you wearing a dress?" Lavi asked.

"What do you think?"

"Send me a picture." Lavi said. He grinned as Kanda scowled. "I was kidding, Yuu. Going with the tux, huh?"

"Hn."

"Well, I won't be there anyway." Lavi said. He turned around, and leaned back against the railing. "It's not like I can be your date."

There was a moment of silence, before Lavi said. "Well, Saturday's out." He pondered. "We might as well start next week."

"Yeah."

Lavi smiled. "You have Kendo every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday." He said. "And whatever days you want to practice on, since you're Captain and all. But official practice times are 4pm to 7pm on Monday, 5pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday and 4.30pm to 8pm on Thursday." Lavi recounted. "As for me…wait, what am I talking about?"

The redhead dug into his pocket and brought out a notebook, flipping it open. He grinned at Kanda, who blinked. "I already arranged the schedule." He said. "I think I fell asleep writing it last night."

"…Idiot."

Lavi handed over the notebook to Kanda, who studied it in silence. Lavi watched those intent black eyes for a while, then said, "Any objections, Yuu?" He brought out a pencil from his pocket.

"We have a district competition coming up." Kanda said, taking the pencil from Lavi. "So I'm arranging more practice days, no matter what those lazy idiots say."

"Competition, huh?" Lavi said as Kanda used the pencil to mark various dates. He smiled. "It's coming up in about two weeks' time, right?"

"How did you know?"

"You told me." Lavi said. He grinned at the surprised Kanda. "I remember everything Yuu tells me."

"…Use your memory to remember more important things." Kanda said, but looked almost embarrassed.

"Well, you're important." Lavi said, looking at Kanda. "To me."

"…I know." Kanda said, meeting Lavi's eyes. "There's…a reason why I keep you by my side, Lavi."

Lavi blinked, but smiled. "That's the first time I've heard that." He said softly.

Kanda seemed to almost smile back, before she looked back down at the schedule again. And it was these little moments, Lavi thought, that made his relationship with Kanda worth it. He knew Kanda so well, knew that while she wasn't one for cheesy things or romantic confessions, the words she spoke were the truth. The little almost smiles she gave him were genuine. It was worth it, worth keeping their relationship hidden, letting her be the guy she wanted to be, reminding himself she was a guy in school and not his girlfriend, worth everything she wanted him to do. Because Yuu Kanda was worth it, because Yuu was Yuu and Lavi couldn't imagine loving anyone other than Yuu, couldn't imagine not seeing those softer sides Yuu would show to him, and only him.

He had told Kanda he was willing to wait, and he was. Willing to wait for her to warm up to him more, so they could become closer than they were. Yuu had said this was fine, but Lavi knew she wouldn't mind taking their relationship a step further. Allen and Lenalee had said he was the one who had stayed with Kanda, which was true, but they didn't see that Kanda was also the one who had stayed with him. And for Kanda Yuu to stay with anyone, in any way, spoke more volumes than words ever could.

"This should be fine." Kanda said, and Lavi took the notebook and pencil back.

Lavi looked at their new schedule, storing the image in his mind. With Kanda's extra Kendo practices, there were fewer days when they could meet. But that didn't matter. As long as he could meet Yuu, it was fine.

"Right." Kanda blinked as Lavi held out the notebook. "Here."

"Don't you need it?"

Lavi smiled. "I've already memorized it."

"What," Kanda said dryly, "You have photographic memory?"

"No way." Lavi laughed. "If you need to know, I have an extra copy at home." He grinned.

"You're really prepared, aren't you?" Kanda smirked. Lavi watched as she tore off the paper carefully, and folded it neatly. She handed the notebook back to Lavi, who took it and put it back into his pocket as Kanda slipped the piece of paper into her breast pocket. "You remember when my extra Kendo practices are?"

"Of course. I told you, I remember everything you tell me."

Kanda scoffed, but her lips curved. "I heard girls like dedicated guys like you." The swordsman said.

"Really? I only want one girl though." Lavi smiled softly at Kanda. "I only want one person. And that's Yuu."

"…Are you trying to make a pun out of my name?"

Lavi laughed. "Why? I think your name is unique!" He grinned at Kanda's pink cheeks. "Yuu. I doodle it in class, you know. In Japanese." He said. "It's my favourite word."

The pink in Kanda's cheeks seemed to have darkened, as if she had just remembered something embarrassing. Lavi blinked, then grinned. "What, Yuu doodles my name too?" He said. "Hey, what does my name look like in Japanese?"

"Rabi." Kanda said. "That's your name pronounced in Japanese. Ra-Bi."

"…Is that why you call me a rabbit?"

Kanda shrugged. "If…you write it out in Hiragana," the long haired Japanese said, "The second syllable of your name…there are two lines that can kind of look like rabbit ears…"

"Really?!" Lavi said, surprised at this new information. He thought for a while for the symbols, then wrote on the notebook with the pencil.

**らび**

"...Well if you _squint_, they do look a bit like rabbit ears. And those two tiny lines can look like the eyes." Lavi said as he stared at the second syllable of his name in Japanese. Slowly, he grinned, and looked at Kanda. "Yuu…"

"I don't write your name in Hiragana." Kanda said quickly but firmly, looking away. "I write it in Katakana."

Lavi stared, and Kanda blinked, then realized. "Wait. I mean-"

Lavi grinned widely. "So you do write my name!" He said joyfully.

"…Shut up!"

"Yuu!" Lavi exclaimed, green eye sparkling, "You're so _cute!"_

"I'm not-h-hey!" Kanda said indignantly, getting an armful of happy rabbit. "Rabi- I mean, _Lavi_!"

Lavi grinned happily. "Yes, Yuu-chan?"

"We're in school!"

"But no one's around! It's fine, isn't it?" Lavi said cheerfully, smiling as he rested his chin on Kanda's shoulder. "Ahhh…Yuu's so cute…" he said with a happy sigh.

Kanda blushed. "Baka usagi! Don't just hug me whenever you please!"

"But I haven't hugged Yuu for a long time!"

"What are you saying? You just hugged me _yesterday!"_

"Twenty four hours is a long time!"

"It's only afternoon! It hasn't even been twenty four hours!"

Lavi blinked. "So I can hug you every twenty four hours?" He asked.

_"No!"_

"Aww," Lavi said with a smile. Kanda glared at him but he continued smiling. "I like hugging Yuu though. I like having you close to me." Lavi murmured. "It's my favourite thing to do, besides sleeping."

"…You really are a stupid rabbit."

"Eh? But rabbits don't' hug people, do they?" Lavi blinked. He grinned. "People hug rabbits! Yuu, hug me!"

"No way." Kanda deadpanned.

"What? Why noooooot?" Lavi pouted.

Kanda grimaced. "I should have brought Mugen with me." The swordsman muttered.

Lavi blinked, still looking at Kanda with hope in his green eye. Kanda stared, then sighed. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand, bringing it around Lavi and placing it on his back. "This is fine…right? I don't know how to hug people."

"But I'm a rabbit!"

"A very big rabbit." Kanda said wryly as Lavi's body pressed her to the railing behind them. "Now let me go, stupid rabbit."

Lavi smiled and drew back as Kanda took her hand back. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Kanda's, taking her hands in his. "Yuu."

"What is it?"

"I love you." Lavi smiled. Using his right hand to hold both of Kanda's hands, he reached out his left hand, placing it on Kanda's chest, over her beating heart, as he gazed into Kanda's black eyes with his one green eye. "Remember that, okay? No matter what happens."

"You aren't expecting me to say it back, are you?"

"Nope." Lavi grinned. "Or you wouldn't be Yuu."

"Why are you saying it now?" Kanda asked softly.

"Because I can," Lavi replied simply. He released Kanda's right hand and brought Kanda's left hand to his chest, to the place over his heart. "There's nothing to stop me from saying I love you." Lavi said as he looked into Kanda's eyes with a serious gaze, his right hand over his heart. "Yuu."

Kanda looked at Lavi and then raised her right hand, placing it over Lavi's left hand over her heart. "I see."

Lavi smiled, and leaned down to brush his lips against Kanda's in a soft, gentle kiss, and Kanda leaned two centimetres forward.

They parted, hands slipping away from each other's chests. Just then, a chime sounded and Kanda and Lavi blinked. Lavi smiled wryly.

"Our breaks are always so short. I guess we gotta get back to class, huh?"

"Yeah."

* * *

"Ahhhh man, today was exhausting! It's only the first day of school and we already have so many tests!"

"Yeah."

"Oh right, that shouldn't be a problem for you, huh?" Allen said as he looked at Lavi. He leaned back into the bus seat, "So? You fell asleep in class, didn't you?"

"You caught me." Lavi said with a sheepish smile.

"Smart bastard," Allen sighed. He stretched his arms, "Hey, how's courting Kanda going?"

"Ah, that. I haven't started yet!" Lavi said, leaning back into the seat with a smile. "I'm gonna start next week."

"Oh. Well, good luck then. You're gonna need it-ow ow! Lavi!"

Lavi had placed his hand on Allen's head and pushed it down hard, ruffling Allen's hair casually. "Respect your elders, beansprout."

"You're not much older than me. And I'm not a beansprout." Allen pointed out as he pushed Lavi's hand away. He looked at Lavi. "But seriously Lavi, you were such a…flirt in the past. A womanizer. What made you so…" he grimaced. "Focused on one woman? And Kanda, no less."

"I always liked Yuu," Lavi admitted. He cushioned his head with his hands, sighing. "Even when I thought Yuu was a guy. You know that, Allen."

"Yeah yeah, but I thought it was just a childhood crush!" Allen waved away.

"Then," Lavi raised an eyebrow at him, "What about your crush on Lenalee? Look what it's become."

Allen flushed. "That's different! She's Lenalee!" He said. "And your crush is Kanda! _Kanda,_ Lavi!"

"Because it's Yuu." Lavi said simply. Allen blinked at him and he said, "I told you, I always liked Yuu. Even when we were just –guy friends," he said, "I liked those girls, Allen. They were pretty and nice." He paused, then smiled. "It was, fun. But, I just couldn't forget about Yuu."

"Yuu is different. With those women, I could flirt and hit on them and tease them. It was, just for fun you know? I wasn't looking for a real relationship, even if I did go on dates with them." Lavi said. "Dating is dating, a relationship is another thing altogether. I never courted those women." He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "Courting someone means you're serious about them. And I'm serious about Kanda Yuu."

"…You've really fallen, Lavi." Allen said.

"Yeah." Lavi smiled wryly. "I've fallen. Badly." He sighed, "Ahhhh…what to do? Even though it's next week, I'm nervous already!" He said. "My heart is beating so fast at the thought. What should I wear? Should I style my hair? Or should I just go as myself? How will I pick Yuu up? I don't have a car!"

"Relax," Allen said, smiling in bemusement, "I don't think Kanda will be picky, she's not the type who wants you to spend money on her. She's rich herself."

"Yeaahhh…which makes things even harder!" Lavi threw his hands up, then pouted. "How am I going to impress her?" He said. "Hey Allen, how did you impress Lenalee?"

"Lenalee? I didn't really need to impress her." Allen said thoughtfully. "After that Halloween…I confessed to her and…" he coughed, "You know. We sort of started dating from there."

"Ah yeah. You dressed as a prince and all, and Lenalee was your princess." Lavi said idly. "Can't do that. Yuu doesn't like attention."

"Funny, since Kanda is one of the most popular guys in school." Allen said dryly.

"That's individual attention." Lavi said. He looked at Allen. "What I meant was, Yuu doesn't like attention- the kind of attention you and Lenalee received, you know?" He sighed. "I'm not desperate enough to get ideas from shojo manga. 'Cause for one thing, Yuu will never wear a dress."

"Are you saying Lenalee and I are like a shojo manga couple?" Allen frowned.

"Kind of. I mean, during Halloween back then. Ahhh…but it was fun, you know?" Lavi smiled as he thought back to the past. "School then. It was really fun."

"You don't like school now, Lavi?"

"Not really."

"I see." Allen said. He looked at Lavi seriously. "You can tell me, you know. If anyone is bullying you. I've heard some people call you names."

"Ignore them, they're stupid people." Lavi said nonchalantly. He smiled at Allen. "It's fine, Allen. They're just jealous," he smirked, jabbing his thumb at himself, "That I'm so close to Yuu Kanda."

"Besides, I can defend myself. You and Lenalee don't need to worry about me, okay?"

"…Alright." Allen sighed. "It's too bad we're in different levels and classes."

"I know. Seniors are jealous of you too, Allen." Lavi said, looking at his friend. He smirked. "'Cause you get all the girls. And you've been in this school shorter than they have. You're younger than them. Better watch out, buddy."

"They're no big deal. Can't they see I'm dating Lenalee?" Allen said casually. But he returned Lavi's smirk. "You better watch out for Kanda too, then."

"Nah, Yuu will be fine. Yuu's older than you." Lavi reminded. He looked away. "Anyway if anyone lays a hand on Yuu I will hurt them."

"Is that so." Allen said slowly, the scene in the arcade coming to mind.

Lavi just smiled. The bus stopped and he stood up, reaching into the back pocket of his pants for his card. He pulled it out, and held it between his index and middle finger as he smiled at Allen. "Well, my stop's here. I'm going, Allen."

"See you, Lavi." Allen said. He paused, then said, "About Kanda, don't worry too much, okay? Just be yourself."

"Yeah, there's still time anyway." Lavi smiled at Allen, walking down the aisle with a wave of his hand.

"See ya tomorrow, pal."


End file.
